2017 NFL Draft Order Through Week 16
This weekend, the Browns got the best of both worlds when they won their first game of the 2016 season while the 49ers also found their way to victory. Now, the 1-14 Browns remain in the top spot as we head into the final week of the NFL season.
Here’s where we stand through Week 16. (Note: Ties are broken by strength of schedule):
- Browns 1-14
- 49ers 2-13
- Bears 3-12
- Jaguars 3-12
- Rams (pick belongs to Titans) 4-11
- Jets 4-11
- Chargers 5-10
- Bengals 5-9-1
- Panthers 6-9
- Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 6-9
- Cardinals 6-8-1
- Bills 7-8
- Colts 7-8
- Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-8
- Saints 7-8
- Titans 8-7
- Ravens 8-7
- Buccaneers 8-7
- Broncos 8-7
- Redskins 8-6-1
Koetter Viewed Martin As Suboptimal Vs. Saints
- Dirk Koetter did not address Doug Martin‘s future with the Buccaneers after the team’s loss to the Saints on Saturday, noting that his decision to make the running back a healthy scratch came from believing previous injury replacement Jacquizz Rodgers was a better option, per Bradley Handwerger of the Associated Press. Rodgers was a healthy inactive last week. Martin’s $7MM salary next season is fully guaranteed as part of his five-year, $35.75MM deal, but no guaranteed money is part of this deal after 2017.
Doug Martin A Healthy Scratch Vs. Saints
The Buccaneers will play a crucial game for playoff-contention purposes later today and do so without starting running back Doug Martin, whom the team made a healthy scratch, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
No reason has been provided by the team, but Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times points out (Twitter link) the Bucs’ usual starter has been woefully ineffective since returning from the hamstring injury that largely defined his 2016 season. Martin is averaging a career-worst 2.9 yards per carry this season, and as Auman notes, that’s the worst mark in the league among the 35 ball-carriers who have seen at least 100 handoffs this season.
The team, though, has supported Martin during what’s marked his third down year in his past four seasons, with Auman pointing out the Bucs have said the cornerstone back needs better blocking. During the 2013 and ’14 seasons in which the Boise State product gained fewer than 500 yards on the ground in injury-limited campaigns, Martin still averaged more than 3.5 yards per rush.
Martin has not averaged more than four yards per carry in any of the eight games he’s played this season, but this is still a surprise with the 8-6 Bucs contending for their first NFC South title since 2007. Charles Sims, Peyton Barber and Jacquizz Rodgers are active for Tampa Bay today in New Orleans. Martin rushed 23 times for 66 yards and a touchdown against the Saints two weeks ago.
The Bucs re-signed their 2012 first-round pick to a five-year, $35.75MM extension this offseason. He missed six games with the hamstring malady, which has him at just 421 yards in his fifth season.
Mike Smith Blocking Out HC Rumors
- The Buccaneers defense has been on a roll recently, and defensive coordinator Mike Smith has predictably been mentioned as a potential head coach candidate. However, with the team looking to make the playoffs, Smith is trying to block out all of that speculation. “Rumors are rampant this time of the year,” Smith told ESPN.com’s Jenna Laine. “I’m enjoying my time here. I want to make this team the best team it can be. You don’t address rumors. That’s what happens this time of year.”
[SOURCE LINK]
Schefter: Glennon Could Command $13-$15MM/Year
- While Tony Romo, Jay Cutler and Colin Kaepernick figure to be available this offseason, Schefter notes the younger trio of Garoppolo, Mike Glennon and A.J. McCarron will draw more interest. Both Glennon and McCarron wound up in trade rumors this offseason, with nothing substantial materializing for the current Buccaneers and Bengals’ backups. But Glennon will be a UFA at season’s end, and Schefter pegs his price range at $13-$15MM AAV. Although, that’s somewhat of an unpopulated middle ground between franchise-level starters and the highest-paid backups. Glennon has a larger sample size to judge than Brock Osweiler did, making 18 starts between 2013-14 pre-Jameis Winston. He went 5-13 in those games and finished both seasons with completion percentages under 60. However, the 27-year-old does have 30 touchdown passes compared to 15 interceptions, and Schefter could see Glennon’s price drifting onto the low-end franchise tier if a number of teams pursue him.
Buccaneers Make Two Roster Moves
- The Buccaneers promoted wide receiver Bernard Reedy from the practice squad to the active roster and placed fellow wideout Donteea Dye on IR.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/21/16
The latest practice squad changes from around the NFL:
Chicago Bears
- Signed: OL Cornelius Edison (Twitter link via Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Kendrick Ings
Buccaneers Audition Four
- The Buccaneers worked out quarterback Sean Renfree, defensive end Alex Bazzie, linebacker Deon Lacey, and Spanish rugby star Inaki Villanueva (as a tight end), reports Adam Caplan of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Renfree, 26, spent last season as Matt Ryan‘s backup in Atlanta, and has auditioned for a number of clubs this year without being offered a deal.
2017 NFL Draft Order Through Week 15
With just two weeks to go, the NFL playoff picture is starting to get clearer. The Cowboys, Seahawks, Patriots, and Raiders have already punched their playoff tickets while the Chiefs, Steelers, Falcons, and Giants are considered near locks by the forecasts at Five Thirty Eight.
Here’s a look at where the draft order stands for the teams not currently slated to make the cut (Note: Ties are broken by strength of schedule):
1. Browns 0-14
2. 49ers 1-13
3. Jaguars 2-12
4. Bears 3-11
5. Jets 4-10
6. Rams (pick belongs to Titans) 4-10
7. Eagles (pick belongs to Browns) 5-9
8. Chargers 5-9
9. Cardinals 5-8-1
10. Bengals 5-8-1
11. Panthers 6-8
12. Saints 6-8
13. Bills 7-7
14. Colts 7-7
15. Vikings (pick belongs to Eagles) 7-7
16. Redskins 7-6-1
17. Titans 8-6
17. Ravens 8-6 (Note: The Titans and Ravens are currently knotted up in terms of both record and strength of schedule. In all statistical likelihood, the SOS logjam will be broken by the end of the season.)
19. Texans 8-6
20. Buccaneers 8-6
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/14/16
The latest practice squad moves from around the NFL:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: Marvin Hall Jr.
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: CB Ryan White
- Cut: OL Kevin Graf
Buffalo Bills
- Signed OLB Greg Townsend Jr.
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Josh Shirley
Denver Broncos
- Signed: RB Zac Brooks
- Cut: RB Terrell Watson
Houston Texans
- Signed: T Laurence Gibson, WR Tevin Jones
New York Giants
- Signed: RB Russell Hansbrough
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: FB Austin Johnson