Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
As the NFL determines how it will proceed with the postponed Bills-Bengals game, Week 18 is on as scheduled. The No. 1 overall pick remains in doubt, and seven teams enter the final week either 6-10 or 7-9. Several games will impact how the top 10 shakes out.
Having lost nine straight, the Bears (3-13) are a half-game behind the Texans (2-13-1) for the No. 1 overall pick. Houston last held that draft slot in 2014, while Chicago has not picked first since 1947. The Texans are also playing a Colts team they tied in Week 1; Indianapolis enters Week 18 on a six-game skid. Conversely, the Bears face a Vikings squad that still has a path to the NFC’s No. 2 seed.
Week 17 also brought clarity on the NFC South. Although the Buccaneers have disappointed, their comeback win over the Panthers secured the franchise’s third straight playoff berth. That will mean Tampa Bay’s pick will check in no higher than 18th overall, while the Carolina and New Orleans slots could land in the top 10. The loser of Saturday’s Jaguars-Titans game would also see their draft slot rise several positions. Four of the five traded picks remain in the top 12, with the Seahawks’ spot (via the Broncos) still slotting highest — behind only the Texans and Bears’ positions.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 18:
- Houston Texans: 2-13-1
- Chicago Bears: 3-13
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-12
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-11-1
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Atlanta Falcons: 6-10
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-10
- Carolina Panthers: 6-10
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Tennessee Titans: 7-9
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- New York Jets: 7-9
- Washington Commanders: 7-8-1
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-8
- Green Bay Packers: 8-8
- Detroit Lions: 8-8
- Seattle Seahawks: 8-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 8-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8
- New England Patriots: 8-8
- New York Giants: 9-6-1
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-6
- Los Angeles Chargers: 10-6
- Cincinnati Bengals: 11-4
- Minnesota Vikings: 12-4
- Dallas Cowboys: 12-4
- Denver Broncos (via 49ers)
- Buffalo Bills: 12-3
- Kansas City Chiefs: 13-3
- Philadelphia Eagles: 13-3
Chargers Activate Joey Bosa From IR
DECEMBER 31: The second player to be activated from IR only two days after being designated to return, Bosa was officially activated by the Chargers today in time for tomorrow’s contest against the cross-town Rams. After clinching a playoff spot last week, this gives Bosa a two-week period to get back up to full speed before the postseason begins.
In order to make room for Bosa on the active roster, Los Angeles waived running back Sony Michel. Michel has been the team’s third running back behind workhorse starter Austin Ekeler and backup Joshua Kelley. Ekeler plays significant time in the Chargers backfield as the both the team’s top rusher and most talented receiving back. Michel became an easy expense on a roster with a more established backup in Kelley and a backup with more youth in rookie fourth-round pick Isaiah Spiller.
In addition to those two roster moves, the Chargers have promoted defensive lineman David Moa and running back Larry Rountree from the practice squad as standard gameday elevations for Sunday.
DECEMBER 29: The seventh-year pass rusher will begin practicing Thursday. The Chargers have made the official transaction, starting Bosa’s IR-return clock. Bosa said the core issue the surgery addressed had plagued him for years, via The Athletic’s Daniel Popper (on Twitter).
DECEMBER 26: Again riddled with injuries to high-profile players, the Chargers are on track to have one of them back in uniform soon. Brandon Staley has floated the possibility of Joey Bosa and Rashawn Slater playing again this season. Bosa looks to get there first.
The Chargers are expected to have Bosa back at practice this week, according to Ian Rapoport and Bridget Condon of NFL.com (video link). The Pro Bowl pass rusher has been out since suffering a groin injury in Week 3. Bosa’s return has gained steam in recent weeks, and the Bolts appear finally ready to see what he looks like in practice. From the day Bosa begins practicing, the Chargers will have three weeks to activate him from IR.
While Bosa has dealt with injuries at several points during his career, this has been his most significant. The four-time Pro Bowler will have missed 12 Bolts games after tonight’s Colts matchup — one that can secure the team its first playoff berth in four years with a win — and has been one of several Charger Pro Bowlers to miss time this year.
The Bolts have Slater and J.C. Jackson on IR, while Keenan Allen, Derwin James and Corey Linsley have also missed stretches of the season. Ditto Mike Williams and most of the team’s defensive line. But the team that again generated considerable offseason momentum is moving closer toward its optimal version. Allen, Linsley and Williams have been back for weeks, and James returns tonight.
Bosa’s latest injury required surgery, and he has been rehabbing for months. It is not believed the former No. 3 overall pick will be 100% again until next season, but the Chargers clearly feel comfortable seeing how he looks ahead of a possible activation. Bosa missed four games as a rookie in 2016 (hamstring), was shut down for nine during the 2018 season (foot) and missed four more contests in 2020 (two concussions). He made a late-season return in 2018, when the Bolts last qualified for the playoffs, and is looking to re-emerge in similar fashion this year.
Still just 27, Bosa is attached to a monster contract — agreed to back in 2020 — and has four double-digit sack seasons on his resume. The Chargers only had two full games to deploy he and Khalil Mack together. After missing much of last season with a foot injury, Mack has stayed healthy this season. Bosa coming back would certainly help the former Defensive Player of the Year, who has been the focal point of offensive line attention for much of his first Chargers season. Mack has seven sacks, 10 quarterback hits and two forced fumbles this season — his seventh Pro Bowl campaign.
Chargers Plan To Activate Joey Bosa From IR
A Joey Bosa ramp-up period does not seem to be in the cards for the Chargers. Despite the perennial Pro Bowl pass rusher missing 12 games and only being designated for return Thursday, the Bolts are preparing to activate him from IR for Week 17.
Brandon Staley said the plan is for Bosa to play this week against the Rams, per NFL.com’s Bridget Condon (on Twitter). Bosa has been out since Week 3 because of a groin injury that required surgery.
The seventh-year defender said this week he has dealt with this issue for a while and indicated upon his return to practice he felt better than he has in years. Bosa has dealt with a number of injuries since the Bolts drafted him third overall in 2016, but this year’s absence has been the longest. The Chargers have managed to recover from their injury-affected swoon, however, and are playoff-bound for the first time since 2018 — Bosa’s previous year with a major injury.
Bosa missed four games as a rookie in 2016 (hamstring), was shut down for nine during the 2018 season (foot) and missed four more contests in 2020 (two concussions). Despite being often sidetracked by injuries, the former Ohio State star has four double-digit sack seasons on his resume. His return to anchor Los Angeles’ pass rush will certainly enhance the Bolts’ chances of being a major factor in the playoffs.
The Chargers, who only had the chance to play Bosa and Khalil Mack together for two full games, have picked up the pace in quarterback pressure recently. They sacked Nick Foles seven times Monday night and recorded four in a last-second win over the Titans in Week 15. Mack has a team-high eight sacks, making the Pro Bowl for a seventh time, while both Morgan Fox and Drue Tranquill hit the five-sack mark in Indianapolis. The supporting-casters have 11.5 combined sacks this season, with Tranquill putting together an interesting stat line that includes five sacks and 129 tackles.
Much of the injury trouble the Chargers have encountered is in the rear-view mirror. Justin Herbert, who suffered a rib injury in Week 2, has played better over the past several weeks. Both Keenan Allen and Mike Williams have returned from their earlier health issues as well. The Chargers have not opened Rashawn Slater‘s practice window yet, but their left tackle returning from an early-season biceps injury remains in play.
Derwin James had missed time but returned for the Chargers-Colts tilt. However, he was ejected for leading with his helmet on a first-half tackle. Both James and the player he tackled, Indianapolis wideout Ashton Dulin, sustained concussions on the play. Both are out for Week 17.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
With two weeks remaining in the regular season, much is still to be decided both in terms of playoff positioning and the order of the upcoming draft. Five teams are still eligible to land the top pick.
The Texans remain in pole position to hold the No. 1 spot, but their win over the Titans (coupled with the Bears’ losing streak extending to eight games) leaves Chicago just a half-game away. The fact that the Bears would likely select a defensive player rather than a quarterback with the top pick adds considerable intrigue to the potential implications of them ending up with that slot.
With the Browns continuing to struggle even with Deshaun Watson back from suspension, there is a distinct possibility that four first-rounders which changed hands (including Cleveland’s top 2023 pick, part of the package they sent to Houston for Watson) land in the top 10. Another premium selection would obviously soften the blow of losing out on the No. 1 spot from the Texans’ perspective, should that take place.
The final Wild Card spot in each conference is still being contested by several teams, resulting in a logjam of 7-8 squads in the middle of the order. Several head-to-head matchups will be played out between those clubs, which could lead to plenty of change in their positioning over the next two weeks. The race for both the AFC and NFC South titles will also have a significant impact on the final order, given the average (at best) record each division’s winner will have at the end of the regular season.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 17:
- Houston Texans: 2-12-1
- Chicago Bears: 3-12
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-11
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-10-1
- Atlanta Falcons: 5-10
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Carolina Panthers: 6-9
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-9
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Seattle Seahawks: 7-8
- Tennessee Titans: 7-8
- New England Patriots: 7-8
- New York Jets: 7-8
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-8
- Green Bay Packers: 7-8
- Detroit Lions: 7-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 7-8
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 7-8
- Washington Commanders: 7-7-1
- New York Giants: 8-6-1
- Los Angeles Chargers: 9-6
- Baltimore Ravens: 10-5
- Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)
- Dallas Cowboys: 11-4
- Cincinnati Bengals: 11-4
- Kansas City Chiefs: 12-3
- Minnesota Vikings: 12-3
- Buffalo Bills: 12-3
- Philadelphia Eagles: 13-2
Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/26/22
Here are Monday’s minor moves:
Arizona Cardinals
- Placed on IR: LS Aaron Brewer
- Claimed (from Steelers): CB Josh Jackson
Indianapolis Colts
- Promoted: LB Segun Olubi
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed from practice squad: S Raheem Layne
- Placed on IR: CB Kemon Hall
- Promoted: RB Larry Rountree
Seattle Seahawks
- Placed on IR: S Joey Blount
- Signed from practice squad: RB Godwin Igwebuike
Brewer, who has been the Cardinals’ long snapper for the past seven seasons, suffered a pectoral injury. Brewer’s contract expires after this season. The Cardinals initially signed Jackson this offseason but waived him weeks later. The Steelers carried Jackson on their practice squad for much of this season. The former second-round pick played in four games with the team.
Cardinals, Chargers, Vikings Work Out QB Nathan Rourke
The free agency tour has continued for Canadian Football League quarterback Nathan Rourke. The 24-year-old’s BC Lions were knocked out of the CFL playoffs a little over a month ago and Rourke has been in communication with NFL teams ever since.
Rourke played three years of college ball at Ohio after transferring from Fort Scott Community College. As a starter for all three years, Rourke was one of the country’s most electric dual-threat quarterbacks. He improved each year as a passer, finishing with a career total of 7,457 yards, 60 touchdowns, and 20 interceptions. His consistency as a runner was uncanny. In 2017, 2018, and 2019, Rourke ran the ball 137, 134, and 154 times, respectively, for 912, 860, and 867 yards, respectively. Over the three seasons he ran for 2,034 yards and 49 touchdowns. That’s 9,511 yards of total offense and 111 total touchdowns, when you include the two receiving touchdowns he had as a Bobcat.
Rourke went undrafted by the NFL but was the highest drafted quarterback for the CFL in almost 20 years. A rough first season in British Columbia saw Rourke serve mainly as a backup, only starting two games, and making some mistakes early in his career. He only threw three touchdowns to five interceptions, although he was able to add five touchdowns on the ground, as well. In his second year with the team, during the league’s 2022 season, Rourke became a full-time starter. In nine starts, Rourke completed 78.7% of his passes for 3,349 yards while throwing 25 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. He also added 304 yards and seven touchdowns with his legs.
Rourke’s initial few visits following his CFL playoff exit saw him meet with Las Vegas, Jacksonville, and Denver. Since then, Rourke has continued his tour. On Monday of this week, Rourke worked out with the Vikings, according to Justin Dunk of 3downnation.com, and followed that up with a Tuesday work out with the Cardinals. Additionally, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 reported a workout with the Chargers.
This continues a trend from his first few visits. All the teams that Rourke has visited are fairly settled in with starting quarterbacks. Besides the Vikings, all the other teams are even in relatively young deals with their starting quarterbacks. This seems to insinuate that teams are looking at Rourke primarily in a backup role. Given the recent success of XFL quarterbacks who went from backups to eventual starters, like Commanders quarterback Taylor Heinicke and Panthers quarterback P.J. Walker, Rourke could be in search of a perfect fit that could set him up for success in the future.
This could open the door for teams in the league to continue looking for players at positions as important as quarterback outside of the traditional talent pools of the college draft and free agency. Regardless, the intrigue created by Rourke remains as teams continue to kick the tires of the mobile, young quarterback.
Former Broncos RB Ronnie Hillman Dies At 31
Ronnie Hillman, a former running back who led the 2015 Broncos’ Super Bowl-winning team in rushing, has died. He was 31.
Hillman’s family announced his passing Thursday morning. Former teammates Orlando Franklin and Derek Wolfe, respectively, said the five-year NFL veteran entered hospice care this week after a bout with liver cancer and pneumonia. Hillman was diagnosed with renal medullary carcinoma, a disease that is “a rare but highly aggressive neoplasm form of cancer that primarily affects young African Americans with sickle cell trait,” Troy Renck of Denver7 writes.
The Broncos drafted Hillman in the third round out of San Diego State in 2012. The selection came when Hillman was just 20. He had declared for the draft after totaling 3,243 rushing yards and 36 touchdowns as an Aztecs underclassman. A Long Beach, Calif., native, Hillman played in Snoop Dogg’s youth football league and had said that time allowed him to shape his focus toward a football career. Despite only playing two years at San Diego State, Hillman remains fifth on the school’s all-time rushing list.
After Hillman had totaled 573 scrimmage yards and four touchdowns for a 12-4 Denver team in 2014, new head coach Gary Kubiak installed the 5-foot-9 speed back as his starter midway through the following season. Hillman amassed 863 rushing yards and seven touchdowns in his fourth NFL season, teaming with C.J. Anderson to form a solid ground attack for the eventual Super Bowl-winning team. Hillman surpassed 100 rushing yards four times in 2015, including a 117-yard season finale that helped the Broncos secure home-field advantage.
Following the expiration of his rookie contract, Hillman finished his career in an eight-game 2016 season — spent with the Vikings and Chargers — before retiring. His death comes barely a year after Broncos teammate Demaryius Thomas died at age 33.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/22
Today’s practice squad transactions:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: DT Brandin Bryant
- Released: DT Kendal Vickers
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: S Tyree Gillespie
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: DL Aaron Crawford, WR Jason Moore
New York Giants
- Signed: LB Tae Crowder
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/21/22
Today’s minor moves:
Carolina Panthers
- Claimed off waivers (from Bears): CB Justin Layne
Denver Broncos
- Designated for return: RB Chase Edmonds
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed to active roster: DL Christopher Hinton
- Placed on IR: DL Joe Gaziano
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: DT Daviyon Nixon
- Waived: RB Tony Jones Jr.
Tennessee Titans
- Signed to active roster: QB Josh Dobbs
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
Christmas Day’s Broncos-Rams matchup will pit two of the league’s most disappointing teams against one another, and the Seahawks and Lions will have a vested interest in this contest. The loser of this game will give one of the latter teams — via the Russell Wilson and Matthew Stafford trades — a better chance of landing a top-three pick in next year’s draft.
At 1-12-1, the Texans are cruising home. The Bears are on their heels, potentially set to become the team that selects the 2023 draft’s first non-quarterback. But eight four- or five-win teams reside behind these two, providing some intrigue for fanbases whose squads are not moving toward the playoffs.
The NFC South’s plunge toward becoming perhaps the worst division in NFL history carries draft stakes as well. The Falcons, Saints and Panthers each have five wins, and Atlanta, Carolina and Philadelphia (via the Saints’ pre-draft trade this year) would see those picks land in the top 10 as of now. The division-leading Buccaneers would see their draft slot check in no higher than 19th. Should one of Tampa Bay’s challengers vault the current first-place team in the standings, the Bucs would see their 2023 first-round slot rise considerably.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order will be determined by the inverted 2022 standings — plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule — with playoff squads being slotted by their postseason outcome and regular-season record. Here is how the draft order looks entering Week 16:
- Houston Texans: 1-12-1
- Chicago Bears: 3-11
- Detroit Lions (via Rams)
- Seattle Seahawks (via Broncos)
- Arizona Cardinals: 4-10
- Indianapolis Colts: 4-9-1
- Atlanta Falcons: 5-9
- Carolina Panthers: 5-9
- Philadelphia Eagles (via Saints)
- Las Vegas Raiders: 6-8
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 6-8
- Houston Texans (via Browns)
- Pittsburgh Steelers: 6-8
- Green Bay Packers: 6-8
- Seattle Seahawks: 7-7
- New England Patriots: 7-7
- New York Jets: 7-7
- Detroit Lions: 7-7
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-8
- Tennessee Titans: 7-7
- Washington Commanders: 7-6-1
- Los Angeles Chargers: 8-6
- New York Giants: 8-5-1
- Baltimore Ravens: 9-5
- Denver Broncos (via 49ers through Dolphins)
- Dallas Cowboys: 10-4
- Cincinnati Bengals: 10-4
- Kansas City Chiefs: 11-3
- Minnesota Vikings: 11-3
- Buffalo Bills: 11-3
- Philadelphia Eagles: 13-1
Next year’s draft will feature a 31-pick first round. The Dolphins’ penalty for the Tom Brady–Sean Payton tampering scandal cost them their 2023 first-round choice.