2024 NFL Draft order: Bears, Commanders and Patriots lock up top 3 picks as regular season ends
The Chicago Bears will have the No. 1 overall pick for a second straight year
The NFL Draft order is starting to solidify.
The Chicago Bears had already secured the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft ahead of Sunday’s regular-season finale. Now, with the playoff field set, the top 18 picks are locked in.
The Bears landed the No. 1 pick due to a trade with the Carolina Panthers last season. Their pick will likely hinge on whether they decide to keep quarterback Justin Fields or not. There are plenty of options available if the Bears want a new quarterback, including USC star Caleb Williams and North Carolina quarterback Drake Maye, though Fields has held his own and could use a revamped group around him.
The Washington Commanders earned the No. 2 overall pick after they fell to the Dallas Cowboys 38-10 at FedEx Field. They lost their last eight games, and finished the season 4-13. It will mark the team’s highest draft pick since 2020, when they selected defensive end Chase Young with the No. 2 overall pick.
It’s unclear what direction the Commanders will go with that selection. Head coach Ron Rivera’s job is undoubtedly at risk, and the team is now under new ownership after Josh Harris’ group purchased the club from Daniel Snyder. It will be Harris’ first draft in control of the Commanders.
The New England Patriots will then take the No. 3 overall pick in April’s draft. They also finished the season 4-13, marking another disappointing run for head coach Bill Belichick since Tom Brady’s departure. It’s unclear what team owner Robert Kraft will do, though he’s set to meet with Belichick in the coming days.
The Patriots haven’t used a top-10 pick since 2008, when they selected linebacker Jerod Mayo at No. 10 overall. The last time they used a higher draft pick was when they selected Drew Bledsoe at No. 1 overall in 1993.
The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Chargers round out the top five, respectively. The Cardinals fell to the Seattle Seahawks in their regular-season finale on Sunday, which also dropped them to 4-13 on the season. The Chargers, who lost quarterback Justin Herbert and fired head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco earlier this season, went 5-12.
The NFL Draft is on April 25 in Detroit.
2024 NFL Draft order
Here’s the current NFL Draft order ahead of the playoffs. The first 18 picks are set, and the remaining picks will be determined by how the postseason shakes out.
Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers)
Washington Commanders
New England Patriots
Arizona Cardinals
Los Angeles Chargers
Chicago Bears
Seattle Seahawks
Arizona Cardinals (via Houston Texans)
Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns)
Dallas Cowboys
