Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Sunday’s action provided more clarity on a number of fronts relating to the playoff pushes in each conference. The list of teams still in contention for the top pick in the 2026 draft remains long, however.
Week 15 saw the Broncos and Rams clinch a postseason berth. Meanwhile, the Chiefs, Bengals and Vikings have each officially been eliminated from the playoffs. They will join the group of teams turning their attention to offseason planning. That of course includes extensive evaluation of the top prospects in this year’s class; several have already turned pro (with some exceptions).
Sunday’s results mean there are nine teams with two, three or four wins. Each of them remain candidates to secure the No. 1 selection, although victories by the Saints and Commanders yesterday will greatly hinder their chances of moving to the top of the order. Jockeying amongst teams like the Raiders, Jets and Cardinals (each on track to pursue a new quarterback this spring) will be a storyline worth following closely down the stretch.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-12)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)
- Tennessee Titans (2-12)
- Cleveland Browns (3-11)
- New York Jets (3-11)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-11)
- New Orleans Saints (4-10)
- Washington Commanders (4-10)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Miami Dolphins (6-8)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)
- Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)
- Baltimore Ravens (7-7)
- Carolina Panthers (7-7)
- Detroit Lions (8-6)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)
- Houston Texans (9-5)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Buffalo Bills (10-4)
- Chicago Bears (10-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (10-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- New England Patriots (11-3)
- Seattle Seahawks (11-3)
- Los Angeles Rams (11-3)
- Denver Broncos (12-2)
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels Will Not Return In 2025
With the Commanders out of playoff contention, they will rely on their backup quarterback to close out the season. Jayden Daniels has been shut down, as first reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. 
Head coach Dan Quinn and general manager Adam Peters informed Daniels of the decision this afternoon, The Athletic’s Nicki Jhabvala adds. Backup Marcus Mariota was also made aware of the situation. He will be tasked with handling QB1 duties for Washington’s final three games.
Of course, Mariota has already made seven starts in 2025. An elbow dislocation left Daniels sidelined for an extended period earlier in the season, and upon returning to action he aggravated it. Last year’s Offensive Rookie of the Year has yet to be cleared for Week 16, and Rapoport notes he likely would have been ruled out for that contest anyway. Instead of pushing to return for one or both of the Commanders’ games past that point, Daniels will turn his attention to 2026.
Washington will not move Daniels to injured reserve, Quinn added (via Jhabvala). That decision will allow the 24-year-old to continue practicing (when possible) even though it is known he will not play again in 2025. After a stellar debut campaign, Daniels and the Commanders’ offense – a unit which has dealt with various injuries all year – was unable to meet expectations regarding his follow-up season.
Washington sits at 4-10, meaning the team’s spot in the draft order will be something to monitor over the final three weeks. For a team which reached the NFC title game last season, that marks a major regression. Nevertheless, few observers will be surprised by the decision to shut Daniels down for the final stages of the campaign given the Commanders’ situation.
Mariota played on a one-year deal in 2024. He remained in the nation’s capital on a slightly more lucrative pact for this season, but the 32-year-old is a pending free agent. Today’s news ensures Mariota will have another three chances to audition and in doing so attempt to boost his market value.
Giants HC Rumors: Hafley, Freeman, OCs
At 2-11 and in contention for the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, the Giants will likely bring in a new head coach from outside the organization in the next couple of months. Interim choice Mike Kafka, who replaced the fired Brian Daboll a little over a month ago, seems like a long shot for a full-time promotion. Now coming off their bye, Kafka’s Giants have gone 0-3, including a blowout loss to the Patriots in Week 13.
General manager Joe Schoen is leading New York’s head coaching search. After hiring Daboll in 2022, he’s in line to pick his second head coach despite a 20-43-1 record as the team’s GM. Schoen doesn’t expect his presence to push away candidates, though there’s some disagreement about that around the league, as Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post details.
With Schoen only under contract through 2026, an NFC assistant coach told Dunleavy: “The biggest deterrent to taking that job is a lame-duck GM. If you’re signing a five-year deal to become the head coach, you’d like to know that you can develop a vision for your program with a GM that’s aligned the same way. But if the GM is in win-now mode and you need time to bring in scheme-specific talent, that will not mesh very well.”
On the other hand, a different assistant who could receive head coaching interviews told Dunleavy: “Joe’s well respected around the league. It’s not going to be a deterrent. When you look at the quarterback and the game-changers they have, it’s going to be one of the more attractive jobs.”
First-round rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart, No. 1 wide receiver Malik Nabers, left tackle Andrew Thomas, and a talented group of pass rushers are among the reasons many consider the Giants’ position enticing. That group may appeal to Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who’s the “heavy favorite” to land the job, according to Conor Orr of SI.com. The 46-year-old New Jersey native would be a first-time NFL head coach, but he did take Boston College to two bowl games from 2020-23. Green Bay’s enjoying its second straight year as one of the league’s most effective defenses under his tutelage.
Hafley went 22-26 at Boston College. One of his losses came at the hands of a Marcus Freeman-led Notre Dame squad. Freeman, who came up as a speculative Giants candidate last month, is indeed on the team’s list, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Although Notre Dame’s season ended without a playoff berth, the Fighting Irish finished 10-2. They’re 43-12 since Freeman succeeded Brian Kelly in late 2021.
Freeman is under contract through 2030 on a lucrative extension, but Notre Dame athletic director Pete Bevacqua realizes there’s outside interest in the 39-year-old.
“Everybody has eyes on Marcus,” Bevacqua said (via Adam Rittenberg of ESPN). “College has eyes on Marcus; NFL has eyes on Marcus. I bet Hollywood has eyes on Marcus. … He’s the absolute best coach in the country for Notre Dame, full stop, one of the greatest college coaches in the country.”
To better its chances of keeping Freeman, Notre Dame will revise his contract on an annual basis, Bevacqua revealed. Doing so will keep Freeman among the nation’s highest-paid coaches.
Aside from Hafley, Freeman, and Colts DC Lou Anarumo (previously reported), Commanders offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury and Seahawks OC Klint Kubiak are also on the Giants’ radar, according to Russini.
Kingsbury is the only member of the quintet with previous head coaching experience in the pros. The Cardinals went 28-37-1 under him from 2019-22. Kingsbury helped quarterback Kyler Murray to Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and a pair of Pro Bowls during that span. Murray hasn’t revisited that form since. Kingsbury also guided the Cardinals to an 11-6 record in 2021. That stands as their only playoff season of the past decade.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski may join Kingsbury as an experienced possibility for the Giants. The Browns aren’t expected to fire the two-time Coach of the Year, Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post writes, though he contends it wouldn’t be a shock to see the Giants trade for Stefanski.
It’s unclear what the Giants would have to give up for Stefanski, who would be part of the league’s eighth head coach trade since 1997 in this scenario. The most recent deal came when the Broncos dealt a 2023 first-round pick and a 2024 second-rounder to the Saints for Sean Payton and a 2024 third-rounder in February 2023. The Giants aren’t in position to surrender that type of compensation for Stefanski, but it appears he’s another name to keep an eye on during their high-profile search.
NFL Minor Transactions: 12/13/25
Here are today’s minor moves and standard gameday practice squad elevations for Week 15’s Sunday slate of games:
Arizona Cardinals
- Activated from IR: T Christian Jones
- Elevated: WR Jalen Brooks, WR Trent Sherfield
- Placed on IR: DT Bilal Nichols
Buffalo Bills
- Elevated: CB Dane Jackson, DE Andre Jones Jr.
Carolina Panthers
- Elevated: LB Isaiah Simmons
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: OL Garrett Dellinger
- Elevated: S Chris Edmonds, DT Maurice Hurst
- Waived: WR Jamari Thrash
Denver Broncos
- Signed to active roster: LB Jordan Turner
- Elevated: WR Michael Bandy, QB Sam Ehlinger
Detroit Lions
- Activated from IR: TE Shane Zylstra
- Elevated: S Erick Hallett, TE Giovanni Ricci
- Placed on IR: S Brian Branch (story)
Green Bay Packers
- Elevated: RB Pierre Strong
Houston Texans
- Activated from IR: TE Harrison Bryant
- Elevated: RB Jawhar Jordan, S K’Von Wallace
- Waived: RB Cody Schrader
Kansas City Chiefs
- Signed to active roster: G C.J. Hanson
- Elevated: T Chukwuebuka Godrick, DT Zacch Pickens
- Placed on IR: T Wanya Morris (story)
Las Vegas Raiders
- Elevated: WR Shedrick Jackson, G Atonio Mafi
Los Angeles Chargers
- Elevated: WR Dalevon Campbell, S Marcus Williams
Los Angeles Rams
- Elevated: S Tanner Ingle
New England Patriots
- Signed to active roster: RB D’Ernest Johnson
- Elevated: DT Leonard Taylor
- Placed on IR: RB Terrell Jennings
New Orleans Saints
- Elevated: WR Kevin Austin, K Charlie Smyth
New York Giants
- Signed to active roster: WR Dalen Cambre, OLB Tomon Fox
- Elevated: DT Elijah Chatman, P Cameron Johnston
- Placed on IR: OLB Victor Dimukeje, CB Nic Jones
- Waived: CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
New York Jets
- Activated from IR: LB Cam Jones
- Elevated: CB Tre Brown, QB Adrian Martinez
- Placed on IR: CB Azareye’h Thomas
Philadelphia Eagles
- Elevated: S Andre’ Sam
Seattle Seahawks
- Activated from IR: DE Rylie Mills
- Elevated: RB Velus Jones
- Placed on IR: TE Elijah Arroyo
Tennessee Titans
- Elevated: T John Ojukwu
Washington Commanders
- Elevated: CB Darius Rush
Nichols began the year on the reserve/PUP list. The eight-year veteran has been hampered by injuries since signing with the Cardinals in 2024. After playing just six games last year, Nichols’ 2025 campaign will end after only four appearances.
Bryant makes his return to the Texans’ offense to replenish a thinned out tight ends group, while in Seattle, the Seahawks place their second-round rookie tight end, Arroyo, on injured reserve with a knee injury.
In Buffalo, this will be Jackson’s third and final standard gameday practice squad elevation. If the team wants to see him in another game this season, they’ll need to sign him to the 53-man roster. The same is true for Strong in Green Bay, Jackson and Mafi in Las Vegas, Smyth in New Orleans, Sam in Philadelphia, and Jones in Seattle.
On the flip side of that, in Denver, Turner has been signed to the 53-man roster after running out of elevations last week.
Thomas suffered a shoulder injury in Week 14 and it will end his season. The third-round rookie confirmed on social media today he is set to undergo surgery in the near future. Thomas made five starts in 2025, totaling 22 tackles and seven pass deflections.
Commanders To Pursue WR Brandon Aiyuk In Offseason?
Earlier this month, 49ers general manager John Lynch expressed hope that wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk would come off the reserve/PUP list to play sometime this season. Almost two weeks later, optimism on that front “seems to have run out,” Dianna Russini of The Athletic writes.
Aiyuk hasn’t played in a game since he tore his right ACL, MCL, and meniscus in Week 7 of 2024. He suffered the injury a couple of months after landing a four-year, $120MM extension.
After Aiyuk failed to attend offseason appointments to rehab his knee, the 49ers made the eye-opening move to void his 2026 guarantees last summer. Barring an unforeseen turnaround in their relationship, the two sides are likely headed for a divorce in the offseason.
The 49ers could attempt to find a trade partner for Aiyuk, but with his stock way down, it may be difficult. Whether the 49ers trade or release Aiyuk before June 1, they’d be left with $29.85MM in dead money. Parting with him after June 1 would allow San Francisco to spread the dead cap over two years. Aiyuk would count $13.25MM against the team’s cap in that scenario.
As for where Aiyuk might play next, Washington is a team to monitor. The belief is that Aiyuk would like to reunite with Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels, Dan Graziano of ESPN reports. The two formed an excellent combination at Arizona State in 2019. Aiyuk caught 65 passes for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns en route to First-Team All-Pac-12 honors that year. The 49ers drafted him 25th overall during the ensuing spring.
Not only is Aiyuk familiar with Daniels, but it’s worth noting Commanders general manager Adam Peters was a key figure in the 49ers’ front office during the first four years of the wideout’s career. Peters is likely to hunt for offensive weapons in the wake of a disappointing season for the Commanders, which could lead to interest in Aiyuk. After advancing all the way to the NFC championship game last season, the injury-plagued Commanders will miss the playoffs this year. At 3-10, they’re on pace to draft in the top 10 next spring.
Terry McLaurin will return as Washington’s No. 1 receiver next year. However, Deebo Samuel (a former Aiyuk teammate in San Francisco) and Noah Brown are scheduled to reach free agency. Tight end Zach Ertz, one of the team’s leading receivers this year, is also unsigned beyond this season. The 35-year-old tore his ACL last week, further clouding his future.
Even if the Commanders bring any of their soon-to-be free agent pass catchers back, outside additions are likely. Daniels should be in position to rebound in 2026 if he stays healthy, which he hasn’t done this year, and has more talent surrounding him. Partnering with Aiyuk again could lead to a bounce-back campaign for both players, which would boost the Commanders’ chances of returning to playoff contention after a forgettable 2025.
Commanders, Laremy Tunsil Likely To Discuss Extension In Offseason
Riding the momentum of an appearance in the NFC championship game, the Commanders swung a trade with the Texans last March for left tackle Laremy Tunsil. Acquiring the five-time Pro Bowler and a 2025 fourth-round pick cost the Commanders four draft choices: a 2025 third, a 2025 sixth, a 2026 second, and a 2026 fourth.
The Tunsil pickup was supposed to increase the Commanders’ chances of contending again this year. This will instead go down as a lost season for Washington, which is 3-10 and out of playoff contention.
The Commanders haven’t been able to overcome a slew of injuries, including to quarterback Jayden Daniels. After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2024, multiple ailments have limited Daniels to seven games this season. Backup Marcus Mariota will fill in for Daniels again in Week 15.
Although this has been a nightmare campaign for the Commanders, Tunsil has delivered in his first season with the franchise. Currently on track for the third 17-start season of his career, the 31-year-old ranks as Pro Football Focus’ eighth-best offensive tackle. He has earned the site’s third-highest pass blocking grade among qualifying OTs. While Tunsil took a league-worst 17 accepted penalties last season, that number has plummeted to five this year, Tashan Reed of the Washington Post notes.
Tunsil is slated to return to Washington next season to close out the three-year, $75MM extension he signed with Houston in 2023. He and Commanders general manager Adam Peters will “almost certainly” discuss a new deal in the offseason, Reed reports. Despite a disappointing season, Tunsil likes the culture Peters and head coach Dan Quinn have built, per Reed.
“I want to play for DQ as long as I can,” Tunsil told Reed. “He’s become one of my favorite coaches that I had in the league.”
At $25MM per year, Tunsil became the league’s highest-paid left tackle on an annual basis when he inked his current contract. He’s now fifth in that category. The Chargers’ Rashawn Slater leads the way at $28.5MM. The Buccaneers’ Tristan Wirfs ($28.1MM), the 49ers’ Trent Williams ($27.56MM), and the Vikings’ Christian Darrisaw ($26MM) round out the group ahead of Tunsil. With the exception of Williams, who landed his current deal at the age of 36, all of those players inked their extensions while in their mid-20s.
Even though Tunsil’s on the wrong side of 30, his performance suggests he deserves to remain among the league’s top annual earners at his position. The Commanders may be impressed enough to lock him up to a new multiyear arrangement in the coming months.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 12/10/25
Today’s NFL practice squad transactions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: G Wyatt Bowles, G Tyler Cooper
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: S Jordan Fuller
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LB Ty Summers
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: WR Xavier Johnson
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: DT Maurice Hurst
- Released: DT Simeon Barrow Jr.
Houston Texans
- Signed: FB Jakob Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: C Jimmy Morrissey
Los Angeles Chargers
- Signed: RB Jaret Patterson, DT Kyle Peko
New England Patriots
- Activated from practice squad/injured list: RB Jashaun Corbin
- Placed on practice squad/injured list: RB Craig Reynolds
New York Giants
- Signed: WR Xavier Gipson
- Released: WR Ray-Ray McCloud
New York Jets
- Signed: QB Adrian Martinez, TE Nick Muse
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: T David Sharpe
- Released: RB Trey Sermon
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Isaiah Bolden
Washington Commanders
- Signed: CB Kevon Seymour
Gipson is changing clubs for the third time this season after getting claimed off waivers by the Giants for the second time this year. After starting the season with the Jets and getting cut after a crucial fumble in Week 1, Gipson found his way across town to the other New York team. The Giants waived him after about two and a half weeks, and he was claimed by Philadelphia. His stint with the Eagles has been his longest with any team this year, but he’ll return to the Giants after getting waived once again.
Minor NFL Transactions: 12/10/25
Here are today’s midweek minor moves:
Cleveland Browns
- Signed to active roster: CB Tre Avery
- Signed off Cardinals’ practice squad: T Jeremiah Byers
- Waived: S Chris Edmonds
Houston Texans
- Designated for return from IR: TE Harrison Bryant, WR Justin Watson
New York Giants
- Designated for return from IR: WR Beaux Collins
- Practice window opened: OL Joshua Ezeudu
New York Jets
- Signed to active roster: DE Eric Watts
- Placed on IR: DE Tyler Baron
Philadelphia Eagles
- Designated for return from IR: LS Charley Hughlett
- Reverted to season-ending IR: T Myles Hinton
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed to active roster: T Dylan Cook
- Placed on IR: T Calvin Anderson
Seattle Seahawks
- Designated for return: TE Eric Saubert
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Waived: DT C.J. Brewer, WR Ryan Miller
Washington Commanders
- Signed to active roster: RB Chase Edmonds
- Placed on IR: TE Zach Ertz (story)
The Texans’ offense is getting healthy at just the right time. Despite not making much of an impact in the passing game, Bryant started three of eight game appearances earlier this year for the Texans and returns to a thin position group. Watson is coming back from a 13-week absence and will hope to continue working his way into a new offense.
The Eagles waived replacement long snapper Cal Adomitis yesterday, so it stands to reason that Hughlett will find himself back on the 53-man roster soon. Hinton’s 21-day practice window closed today, so he’ll add insult to injury in Philadelphia as he reverts to injured reserve without the ability to be activated while still using up one of the team’s eight allotted activations, since they designated him to return before final roster cuts.
Commanders QB Jayden Daniels To Miss Week 15; Marcus Mariota Will Start
Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels aggravated a left elbow injury in a loss to the Vikings last Sunday and will miss Week 15, head coach Dan Quinn announced (via Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic). Backup Marcus Mariota will start on Sunday against the Giants.
Daniels dislocated his elbow in a loss to the Seahawks on Nov. 2. The injury kept the 2024 Offensive Rookie of the Year out for three games. While Daniels returned in Week 14, he didn’t make it through the entire afternoon. The Commanders removed Daniels in the third quarter after Vikings cornerback Isaiah Rodgers knocked him down blocking on an interception return.
Although Daniels landed on his elbow last week, he avoided any structural damage. Nevertheless, Commanders doctors advised sitting him against the Giants. At 3-10, it may make sense for the Commanders to shut Daniels down for the season, but that isn’t the plan right now.
“As far as what decisions are ahead, we havent gone down that road,” Quinn said (via JP Finlay of NBC4 Sports). “He’s working really hard to get back with the guys.”
After going second in the draft last year, Daniels started in every Commanders game during a resurgent season for the franchise. Daniels starred during a 12-5 regular season and helped the Commanders advance to the NFC championship game, which they lost to the Eagles.
Expectations were that Daniels and the Commanders would build on last season’s success in 2025. However, several key injuries have played a role in torpedoing their chances. Daniels has already missed six games as a result of knee, hamstring, and elbow ailments.
Losers of eight in a row, the Commanders will turn back to Mariota for at least another week. Mariota, also a former second overall pick, re-signed with Washington last offseason on a one-year, $8MM deal. The 32-year-old has completed 62.9% of throws with nine touchdowns, seven interceptions, 7.2 yards per attempt, and an 84.8 passer rating in nine games (six starts). As a competent backup, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the Commanders re-sign Mariota again in the next few months, especially considering Daniels’ injury woes this year.
Updated 2026 NFL Draft Order
Week 14’s action brought about a few notable updates to the standings at both ends of the NFL’s conferences. Another four teams are officially out of playoff contention, while wins by Tennessee and New Orleans could prove to be rather important once the campaign has ended.
The Jets, Browns, Falcons and Commanders were eliminated from the postseason through the results of recent days. Of course, each of those teams have been out of the running for a playoff push for some time now. Still, that group will be worth watching closely over the closing four weeks of the season as the top-10 order for Day 1 of the draft gradually comes into focus.
Uncertainty regarding the quarterback class of 2026 will no doubt remain a talking point over the coming months. Fernando Mendoza strengthened his case to be QB1 in April’s draft, although it remains to be seen if other top signal-callers like Dante Moore and Ty Simpson will turn pro or elect to remain in school for one more season. Decisions on those fronts will be central storylines carrying significant implications for the teams near the top of the order which find themselves in need of a quarterback investment.
For non-playoff teams, the draft order is determined by the inverted 2025 standings plus a series of tiebreakers, starting with strength of schedule. Playoff squads are slotted by their postseason outcome and the reverse order of their regular season record.
Here is an updated look at the first-round order:
- New York Giants (2-11)
- Las Vegas Raiders (2-11)
- Tennessee Titans (2-11)
- Cleveland Browns (3-10)
- New Orleans Saints (3-10)
- Washington Commanders (3-10)
- New York Jets (3-10)
- Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
- Los Angeles Rams (via Falcons)
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-9)
- Minnesota Vikings (5-8)
- Miami Dolphins (6-7)
- Baltimore Ravens (6-7)
- Kansas City Chiefs (6-7)
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6-1)
- Carolina Panthers (7-6)
- Detroit Lions (8-5)
- New York Jets (via Colts)
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-6)
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-6)
- Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)
- Houston Texans (8-5)
- Chicago Bears (9-4)
- Buffalo Bills (9-4)
- Los Angeles Chargers (9-4)
- San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
- Cleveland Browns (via Jaguars)
- Dallas Cowboys (via Packers)
- Seattle Seahawks (10-3)
- New England Patriots (11-2)
- Los Angeles Rams (10-3)
- Denver Broncos (11-2)