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Washington Commanders News & Rumors

Commanders Fire Ron Rivera; Bob Myers, Rick Spielman Added As Advisors

January 8th, 2024 at 8:06am CST by Adam La Rose

Black Monday has seen the next head coach dismissed in the NFL. As expected, the Commanders have parted ways with Ron Rivera, marking an end to his four-year run with the team.

Owner Josh Harris has taken a unique approach to begin the process of finding Rivera’s replacement. Former Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers as well as former Vikings GM Rick Spielman have been hired as advisors to assist in the search, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter and Adrian Wojnarowski.

A house cleaning on the sidelines in particular has been expected for some time now, and Harris has indeed followed through with the expected move of dismissing Rivera. The latter posted a 4-13 record this season, the worst in his career. As a result of the team’s losing skid to close out the campaign, Rivera’s overall mark in the nation’s capital stands at 26-40-1. None of his four seasons at the helm resulted in a winning campaign, although that stretch did include a playoff appearance in 2020.

General manager Martin Mayhew – himself listed as a hot seat occupant – along with executive VP of football/player personnel Marty Hurney will remain in place for at least the time being, per the team. They will assist in the search process for Rivera’s successor as well as a new head of football operations. The latter position points to an organizational restructuring compared to how the franchise operated under former owner Dan Snyder. The fate of Mayhew and Hurney will be decided after the new hires are in place, per the ESPN report.

Rivera took the Washington posting after eight-plus years with the Panthers. His time in Carolina included a Super Bowl appearance and aided his reputation as a top defensive mind. However, struggles on both sides of the ball limited the Commanders’ ability to contend during his time at the helm, and the team’s actions around the 2023 deadline pointed to major changes being forthcoming. Edge rushers (and pending free agents) Montez Sweat and Chase Young were dealt at the deadline, even though Rivera and then-defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio preferred to retain the former.

After a lopsided loss on Thanksgiving, Rivera fired Del Rio. That move came as little surprise given the lack of success on defense the team had with that pair on the sidelines despite the presence of four former first-rounders along the defensive line. Issues on that side of the ball, along with inconsistent play from first-year starting quarterback Sam Howell, led to an eight-game losing streak to close out the season. Major changes throughout the organization are due to take place as a result.

As CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson reports, Harris is believed to be seeking a culture-builder allowing the Commanders to emulate teams such as the Patriots, Chiefs and Ravens. An emphasis on analytics has been mentioned as a factor to watch amidst the remolding of the franchise, including the appointment of a president of football ops. To no surprise, Harris’ effort on that front will include assistance from the NBA world; in addition to the Commanders, Harris owns the Philadelphia 76ers as well as the NHL’s New Jersey Devils.

Myers served as general manager of the Warriors beginning in 2012 and he held the post through this past season. In his tenure, Golden State built one of the NBA’s modern dynasties, winning four championships. Myers was named Executive of the Year twice, and he currently works as an analyst with ESPN.

Spielman had a nine-year run with the Vikings which ended in 2021. He was linked to a high-ranking post with the Jaguars in the 2022 offseason, but this temporary appointment will be his first in the NFL since the end of his Minnesota tenure. Spielman has more than 30 years of experience in the league, something which will be leaned on in the coming weeks. Minority owners Magic Johnson, Mitch Rales and David Blitzer will also participate in the search process.

The Commanders currently lead the NFL in projected cap space, and the results of Week 18’s matchups has left the team with the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft. With plenty of roster flexibility, the Washington opening could be an attractive one to interested candidates. Regardless of which changes are made to the front office and on the sidelines, a quarterback capable of at least competing with Howell for the starting role is also expected to be added.

“Today, we made the decision to part ways with Ron Rivera,” a statement from Harris reads in part. “I want to thank Ron and his wife Stephanie for all they did for the Commanders and DMV community, especially during the ownership transition. Ron helped navigate this organization through some challenging times. He is a good man and thoughtful leader who has positively contributed to this organization and the NFL. I wish the Rivera family nothing but the best moving forward.”

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

January 7th, 2024 at 10:40pm CST by Sam Robinson

Week 18 is in the books, meaning the top 18 draft slots are locked in going into the offseason. The Commanders, Patriots, Cardinals and Chargers all lost. Only the Bolts changed positions, by virtue of the Giants’ win over the Eagles. The Giants, however, only dropped one spot through their home win.

The Falcons and Saints’ efforts to upend the Buccaneers in the NFC South did not pan out, with Tampa Bay beating two-win Carolina in its regular-season finale. This will keep Atlanta and New Orleans in much better draft positions. Despite finishing 8-9, Tampa Bay now cannot move past No. 19 without a trade.

While the Bears’ seminal decision — Justin Fields or Caleb Williams, seemingly, with all the trade and contract factors that go along with this forthcoming choice — will headline the leadup to this draft, the Commanders have secured the No. 2 selection and will have their own call to make. New owner Josh Harris showed he will help drive his front office to moves that will load up draft capital, as the Montez Sweat and Chase Young trades showed, and he is all but certain to hire a new regime in the coming weeks.

The draft’s second-best quarterback will be available to Washington, which saw its Sam Howell wire-to-wire season fail to solidify him as the team’s surefire long-term QB. Will Washington become closely connected to Howell’s North Carolina successor (Drake Maye)? The Commanders’ call will help shape how the Patriots proceed, unless New England — which is also all but certain to move on from Bill Belichick and start anew — completes a trade-up effort.

As the postseason determines the bottom 14 draft slots, here is how the top 18 look after the regular season:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-13
  3. New England Patriots: 4-13
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-13
  5. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-12
  6. New York Giants: 6-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 6-11
  8. Atlanta Falcons: 7-10
  9. Chicago Bears: 7-10
  10. New York Jets: 7-10
  11. Minnesota Vikings: 7-10
  12. Denver Broncos: 8-9
  13. Las Vegas Raiders: 8-9
  14. New Orleans Saints: 9-8
  15. Indianapolis Colts: 9-8
  16. Seattle Seahawks: 9-8
  17. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-8
  18. Cincinnati Bengals: 9-8
  19. Green Bay Packers: 9-8
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 9-8
  21. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  22. Los Angeles Rams: 10-7
  23. Pittsburgh Steelers: 10-7
  24. Miami Dolphins: 11-6
  25. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-6
  26. Kansas City Chiefs: 11-6
  27. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  28. Detroit Lions: 12-5
  29. Buffalo Bills: 11-6
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 12-5
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-5
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 13-4

Commanders Interested In Bill Belichick?

January 7th, 2024 at 7:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The scope of the 2024 coaching cycle is yet unknown, but it has been assumed for quite some time that Ron Rivera’s tenure with the Commanders is set to come to an end. In the likely event Washington moves on from the veteran staffer, new owner Josh Harris will be a key figure to watch.

Rivera was believed to have entered the 2023 season – the first after Harris’ purchase of the franchise from Dan Snyder – on the hot seat. Plenty depended on the progress of first-year starter Sam Howell under center, but things have not gone according to plan on that front. With Harris in place to bring in his own hires on the sidelines and in the front office, attention will no doubt soon turn to replacement options in both capacities.

One candidate hypothetically capable of wearing both hats in a new environment is Bill Belichick. The six-time Super Bowl winner may very well have seen his Patriots tenure come to an end on Sunday, meaning he could be available to any number of interested suitors. One of those is Harris and the Commanders, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reports.

Belichick’s time with New England has not officially ended, but a mutual parting of ways between he and Patriots owner Robert Kraft would come as little surprise at this point. Questions have been raised regarding how many teams would be interested in the 71-year-old, but he has recently been linked to openings in the NFC South as well as the Raiders. As Florio notes, a central point in any Commanders-Belichick partnership would be the amount of control he would have within the organization.

Belichick has served as the Patriots’ head coach but also their de facto general manager during his tenure, something which be a challenge to duplicate in a new environment. The presence of Harris, signficant cap space and a high draft selection in the 2024 draft are factors which could make the Commanders gig an attractive one. It remains to be seen, however, if Belichick would entertain a rebuilding effort over a situation better situated for a win-now approach.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network writes Washington is in fact “not likely” to pursue Belichick, and a younger option (especially one with a background on offense aimed at developing Howell or a new quarterback) would likely make more sense than the vaunted defensive mind. Likewise, Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano points to a Belichick deal being unlikely. He adds that a new general manager (presuming Martin Mayhew is indeed let go) is expected to be in place before a Rivera replacement is hired.

As such, the future for Belichick – a native of Annapolis, Maryland – may not include an arrangement sending him to the nation’s capital. In any case, he could be a major domino with respect to the 2024 hiring cycle if he finds himself joining a new team this offseason. With plenty of other options to consider, the Commanders will of course also be a team to monitor over the coming days and weeks.

Chargers, Raiders “Pressing Hard” For Jim Harbaugh; Commanders, Bears Also Interested

January 7th, 2024 at 1:37pm CST by Rory Parks

1:37pm: Providing a further update to the Raiders connection in particular, Pauline reports Harbaugh would be interested in having quarterback J.J. McCarthy with him in Vegas in the event he took that job. The latter – whom Harbaugh recently termed the greatest QB in Michigan history – is one of several passers in contention to be selected in the first round of this year’s draft, although he is ranked below the likes of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Jayden Daniels.

Entering Week 18, the Raiders were on track to hold the No. 11 pick in April’s draft. Plenty will change in that department over the course of the day’s action, but Vegas could be well positioned to add McCarthy or another QB outside the top options on the board. With Jimmy Garoppolo‘s Raiders tenure widely expected to come to an end shortly, the team will have a need for at least a depth addition under center this offseason regardless of who is installed as head coach.

11:33am: Recent reports have suggested that the Raiders and Chargers are the likeliest landing spots for Jim Harbaugh should Harbaugh choose to leave the University of Michigan and return to the professional ranks. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com adds some more fuel to that fire.

Per Pauline, Las Vegas and Los Angeles are “pressing hard” to hire Harbaugh, and there are rumors that both clubs have made initial proposals to Harbaugh’s camp. While Pauline is unable to substantiate those rumors, he does say that rumors suggesting Harbaugh’s decision to hire agent Don Yee gives the Raiders an upper hand in these sweepstakes are true (Yee was the longtime agent for Tom Brady, who is likely to soon become a minority owner of the Raiders and who is a trusted voice for majority owner Mark Davis).

We heard at the end of December that Las Vegas interim head coach Antonio Pierce may stand a good chance of having the interim label removed and becoming the club’s full-time head HC. Subsequent reports, however, suggested that Davis may decide to take another “big swing” as he did with his hires of Jon Gruden and Josh McDaniels, and that Davis wants his Sin City outfit to be led by a high-profile coach.

Harbaugh certainly qualifies as a high-profile big swing, as does Bill Belichick, who has also been connected to the Raiders’ post. Harbaugh, whose Wolverines will appear in tomorrow’s CFP National Championship game, may yet elect to remain in Ann Arbor, and he reportedly has multiple extension offers on the table from Michigan (Yee’s hiring, aside from what it might mean for Harbaugh’s NFL hopes, obviously would also assist him in his negotiations with his alma mater). The looming presence of the Wolverines, along with Pauline’s report — which conflicts with earlier reports pegging the Chargers as the frontrunners for Harbaugh’s services — make this race a very difficult one to handicap.

Pauline muddies the waters even further by noting that the Bears and Commanders have also shown signficiant interest in Harbaugh. Just two days ago, Albert Breer of SI.com reported that Harbaugh is an unlikely candidate for Washington, though Pauline points to the team’s five top-100 picks in the 2024 draft and signifciant amount of cap space (roughly $80MM) as factors that sources close to Harbaugh say could draw the former 49ers HC to the nation’s capital. And while Chicago’s recent stretch of quality play has led to the belief that its current head coach, Matt Eberflus, has done enough to keep his job for at least one more season, Pauline says that could change if the Bears believe they have a chance to nab Harbaugh.

Should Harbaugh land an NFL gig in 2024, Pauline names Greg Roman and Willie Taggart as potential key coaching hires. Roman worked under Harbaugh’s brother, John Harbaugh, with the Ravens from 2017-22, including a four-year stretch as offensive coordinator from 2019-22. Taggart is currently on Baltimore’s staff as the team’s running backs coach and has a close relationship with both Harbaughs.

Of course, Roman also worked as Jim Harbaugh’s associate head coach at Stanford from 2009-10 and then as his OC with the Niners from 2011-14.

Exec Rumors: Caserio, Peters, Aponte

January 7th, 2024 at 12:45pm CST by Rory Parks

With Bill Belichick perhaps coaching his last game for the Patriots today, the club could have head coach and general manager vacancies in relatively short order (Belichick, of course, has operated as New England’s de facto GM throughout his tenure). Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post hears that Texans GM Nick Caserio, whose 20-year stint in the Pats’ personnel department earned him the Houston gig, would be open to a return to Foxborough, but Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) says Caserio does not want to leave the Texans.

Russini points out that Caserio, who squeezed an excellent return from the Browns in the 2022 Deshaun Watson trade and who appears to have hit a home run in drafting quarterback C.J. Stroud and hiring head coach DeMeco Ryans last year, has laid the groundwork for sustained success in Houston and wants to see it through. Indeed, it is difficult to imagine Caserio leaving a young and talented HC-QB pairing for the uncertainty that would await him in New England.

Here are a few more rumors relating to league executives:

  • 49ers assistant GM Adam Peters is once again expected to be a hot name in the upcoming hiring cycle, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes in a subscribers-only piece. Peters turned down GM interview requests from the Cardinals and Titans last year, and it has been rumored for some time that he is the heir apparent to current San Francisco GM John Lynch. Per Fowler, it remains possible that the Niners will simply promote Peters to general manager now that Lynch has been given the additional title of president of football operations.
  • Like Peters, Falcons assistant GM Kyle Smith has been viewed as a future general manager, and as Albert Breer of SI.com notes, Atlanta GM Terry Fontenot promoted Smith to his current role this year partly to dissuade rival clubs from trying to poach him (a team can block an assistant GM from interviewing for anything other than a GM job). While the Falcons have yet to find a long-term answer at quarterback since Fontenot and Smith joined the team, they have injected a great deal of talent into the rest of the roster, and Smith appears poised to generate serious GM interest.
  • We recently heard that the Commanders may wish to add a president of football operations to oversee both their head coach and general manager, and Nicki Jhabvala of the Washington Post reports that Dawn Aponte‘s name has come up in connection with that role. Aponte, who presently works as the league’s chief administrator of football operations, was mentioned as a potential candidate for the Giants’ GM job in 2022, though she was not interviewed for that post. Aponte has, however, served in high-ranking executive positions for the Jets, Browns, and Dolphins.
  • In another subscribers-only piece, Fowler and Dan Graziano of ESPN.com compiled a list of other top candidates for GM jobs, a list that includes Bears assistant GM Ian Cunningham, Ravens director of player personnel Joe Hortiz, and Browns assistant GM Catherine Raiche. Cunningham was offered the Cardinals’ GM job last year but turned it down, while Hortiz and Raiche have both taken GM interviews in recent years.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/6/24

January 6th, 2024 at 8:33pm CST by Ely Allen

The last week of pregame transactions and gameday callups for several teams this season:

Arizona Cardinals

Buffalo Bills

Carolina Panthers

Cincinnati Bengals

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • Placed on IR: T Mike McGlinchey
  • Activated from IR: T Alex Palczewski
  • Signed to active roster: CB Art Green
  • Elevated: S Devon Key

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Los Angeles Rams

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

  • Placed on IR: TE Hunter Henry
  • Signed to active roster: TE La’Michael Pettway
  • Elevated: TE Matt Sokol, OL Andrew Stueber

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

Philadelphia Eagles

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tennessee Titans

Washington Commanders

Several teams whose season is set to come to an end tomorrow have elected to move injured players to injured reserve in order to create roster spots for practice squad options, particularly those who have had their three gameday elevations exhausted. In the case of the Broncos, McGlinchey will see his debut campaign in the Mile High City come to a premature end. Signed to a five-year, $87.5MM deal, the 28-year-old was part of a revamped O-line which did not produce the desired rebound on offense. Manning his usual right tackle spot, McGlinchey was charged with eight sacks and 49 pressures allowed by PFF, resulting in an overall grade of 67.5.

While the Giants will have an interesting decision to make with respect to Xavier McKinney‘s future, they will have Pinnock on the books for at least one more season. The latter’s rookie contract is set to expire following the 2024 campaign, one in which he will no doubt remain a vital member of New York’s secondary. Pinnock has recorded 85 tackles, two interceptions (including a 102-yard pick-six), six pass deflections and a pair of forced fumbles while logging over 1,000 defensive snaps this season. A return to health and a continuation of his 2023 level of play will be sorely needed next fall.

Minor NFL Transactions: 1/5/24

January 5th, 2024 at 4:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Baltimore Ravens

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

  • Signed from practice squad: RB Xazavian Valladay

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

A knee injury will send Fuller to IR, potentially wrapping the veteran cornerback’s second stint in Washington. The 2016 third-round pick, sent to Kansas City in the Alex Smith trade, returned in 2020 on a four-year, $40MM deal. With the Commanders having already fired Jack Del Rio and being set to clean house following their season finale, the 28-year-old corner could be headed elsewhere in free agency.

Worley has played 124 defensive snaps for the Ravens this season, starting two games. This will be the eighth-year corner’s second IR placement this season. If the Ravens qualify for Super Bowl LVIII, they would be eligible to activate Worley a second time. (Baltimore has four IR activations remaining, though one may need to be saved in case Mark Andrews can come back.) Worley is dealing with shoulder and ankle injuries.

NFL Practice Squad Updates: 1/2/24

January 2nd, 2024 at 6:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s practice squad moves:

Arizona Cardinals

Baltimore Ravens

  • Signed: S Jeremy Lucien

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

  • Signed: TE Johnny Lumpkin

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

  • Signed: TE E.J. Jenkins
  • Placed on practice squad injured list: TE Cole Fotheringham

Los Angeles Rams

  • Signed: QB Dresser Winn
  • Released: LS Alex Matheson

Minnesota Vikings

  • Signed: LB Abraham Beauplan

New Orleans Saints

New York Jets

Washington Commanders

Teams can begin signing players to reserve/futures contracts Jan. 8. P-squad contracts expire seven days after the regular season concludes, and NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero reminds teams are not limited regarding the number of times they can elevate a player from a taxi squad during the playoffs. In the regular season, players are capped at three gameday elevations.

The Panthers are expected to sign Boone to a futures deal next week, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. After three years with the Vikings and two with the Broncos, Boone played in nine games with the Texans this season. As for Wright, this marks a reunion. While Wright’s first Panthers stay did not last long (Aug. 26-30), Carolina may need him due to Eddy Pineiro‘s hamstring injury.

Amid the Jets’ wave of O-line injuries, they signed Saffold. While the former Rams, Titans and Bills starter was with the Jets for several weeks, he did not see any game action in his 14th NFL season.

Coaching/Front Office Notes: Commanders, Moore, Desai, Eagles, Evero, Jets

January 1st, 2024 at 10:02pm CST by Sam Robinson

Ron Rivera almost definitely has one more game remaining as Commanders HC. While Martin Mayhew‘s Washington GM future may also consist of just one more contest, that is a bit less certain. Mayhew’s status aside, new owner Josh Harris is expected to consider updating the team’s power structure. Dan Snyder‘s successor will likely look into adding a president of football operations to oversee both the GM and HC, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero indicate.

Washington has adjusted its power structure on multiple occasions over the past several years. Rivera held personnel power essentially by himself in 2020, with the franchise waiting until 2021 to bring in a GM (Mayhew). Rivera arrived after Bruce Allen‘s 10-year tenure as team president. Allen’s final years did not feature a GM, as the franchise fired Scot McCloughan after two years in the role. The Harris-owned 76ers have Daryl Morey overseeing GM Elton Brand and HC Nick Nurse, though many NFL teams give GMs full control. If the Commanders are to hire both a GM and an executive to oversee that position, top GM candidates will naturally be less interested in the job. Harris is not believed to be interested in giving a head coach full autonomy.

Here is the latest from the coaching ranks:

  • Signs the Eagles would demote DC Sean Desai were evident weeks before Nick Sirianni made the call. Sirianni chipped away at Desai’s authority by removing his final say of third-down game planning, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. This occurred between the Eagles’ losses to the 49ers and Cowboys, per McLane, who adds Desai is planning to finish out the season with Philadelphia. The team’s switch to Patricia has not moved the needle, as the Eagles endured an ugly loss to the Cardinals — one that likely cost the team the NFC East title. The Eagles, who were initially expecting to retain Jonathan Gannon for a third season, figure to be in the market for a new DC in the offseason.
  • Defensive coordinator on a bad team for a second straight season, Ejiro Evero does not appear to have seen his stock dinged much by the Panthers‘ 2023 performance. After we heard an arrangement in which the Panthers retain Evero as DC under a new coach is likely to be considered, Rapoport and Pelissero note Evero should be expected to receive an HC interview with the team. Of course, David Tepper has been again linked to another pursuit of an offense-oriented coach. Tepper’s uninspiring 2023, which looks to have ended with the owner tossing a drink at a fan in Jacksonville, could certainly have an impact on the caliber of candidates interested in the Carolina job. High-end option Ben Johnson already turned down the team in 2023, but the Lions’ OC is again in the Panthers’ sights.
  • The Chargers do not look to be interested in either of their coordinators for the HC job. Despite previously being an HC interviewee, Bolts OC Kellen Moore is unlikely to be considered for the organization’s top coaching job, according to The Athletic’s Daniel Popper (subscription required). Justin Herbert failed to take notable steps forward under the ex-Cowboys play-caller, who admittedly dealt with injury trouble — along with center Corey Linsley‘s early-season placement on the reserve/NFI list — in his first season in Los Angeles. It will be interesting to see if Moore — hired within a day after his Cowboys exit — will land another OC gig for 2024.
  • The Jets are giving their HC and GM a mulligan for 2023, but Sportskeeda’s Tony Pauline offers that staff changes should still be likely to commence. O-line coach Keith Carter‘s job appears in jeopardy, per Pauline, who adds the ex-Titans O-line coach’s hire raised eyebrows at the Senior Bowl last year. Pro Football Focus ranks the Jets’ O-line 32nd, though it has seen injuries — including Alijah Vera-Tucker‘s season-ending malady in October — make a significant impact. Robert Saleh will be on the hot seat in 2024, and while Nathaniel Hackett is expected to stay, one of his lieutenants may not survive this disappointing season.

Updated 2024 NFL Draft Order

January 1st, 2024 at 7:31pm CST by Sam Robinson

It took the Bears until Week 18 for the No. 1 draft slot to become a reality; the Panthers did not make them wait that long this year. Carolina’s struggles will give Chicago the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight year. How the Bears will proceed with that pick will become one of the NFL’s defining 2024 storylines.

The Cardinals’ unexpected conquest in Philadelphia knocked them down two slots in the 2024 draft order. As a result, the Commanders — who resided in the fourth position before the Patriots’ Christmas Eve upset ended the Russell Wilson era in Denver — hold the No. 2 pick going into the regular season’s final Sunday.

The Commanders benched Sam Howell in back-to-back weeks and were set to, prior to a midweek Jacoby Brissett setback, shelve him for Week 17 as well. The Ron Rivera era is in its final days, with front office changes likely as well. A Commanders-Caleb Williams connection has emerged, which would make Washington quite interested in what Chicago does at No. 1 overall — or key another round of Bears talks about dropping from 1 to 2, which took place with the Texans this offseason. With the Bears likely considering another Justin Fields season and the Cardinals having Kyler Murray tied to a $46.1MM-per-year contract, the Commanders are suddenly a team to watch regarding a QB investment.

Bill Belichick is also perched as a key 2024 domino, but with the legendary HC not eager to leave New England, one of the most important decisions in franchise history awaits Robert Kraft. Belichick or his replacement could hold a top-three pick in 2024, though another Pats win — they have the Jets in Week 18 — would complicate an effort to land a top-tier QB prospect.

Entering Week 18, here is how the 2024 draft order looks:

  1. Chicago Bears (via Panthers)
  2. Washington Commanders: 4-12
  3. New England Patriots: 4-12
  4. Arizona Cardinals: 4-12
  5. New York Giants: 5-11
  6. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-11
  7. Tennessee Titans: 5-11
  8. New York Jets: 6-10
  9. Atlanta Falcons: 7-9
  10. Chicago Bears: 7-9
  11. Las Vegas Raiders: 7-9
  12. Minnesota Vikings: 7-9
  13. New Orleans Saints: 8-8
  14. Denver Broncos: 8-8
  15. Seattle Seahawks: 8-8
  16. Cincinnati Bengals: 8-8
  17. Arizona Cardinals (via Texans)
  18. Pittsburgh Steelers: 9-7
  19. Green Bay Packers: 8-8
  20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-8
  21. Indianapolis Colts: 9-7
  22. Jacksonville Jaguars: 9-7
  23. Los Angeles Rams: 9-7
  24. Buffalo Bills: 10-6
  25. Kansas City Chiefs: 10-6
  26. Philadelphia Eagles: 11-5
  27. Detroit Lions: 11-5
  28. Houston Texans (via Browns)
  29. Miami Dolphins: 11-5
  30. Dallas Cowboys: 11-5
  31. San Francisco 49ers: 12-4
  32. Baltimore Ravens: 13-3
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