Sunday was a bad day for Bears fans who had hoped the team would be in the unlikely position of holding the No. 1 overall pick during the postseason. The Carolina Panthers won, which hurt the Bears’ chances of getting a top draft pick. Furthermore, since the Bears lost, it is almost certain that the Bears will remain at home when the playoffs begin.
But when the draft rolls around next spring, general manager Ryan Pauls may look back on Sunday’s loss with a little more fondness. For now, the Bears’ recent fourth-quarter collapse has kept them within reach of two top-five picks.
According to Tankathon, which tracks win-loss records and tiebreakers, here’s the overall NFL Draft order after Sunday’s games:
The Bears have the easiest schedule of the group, so they are preferred in draft order over 5-9 opponents (Giants, Jets, Chargers, Titans).
All eyes are now on the Panthers to see if they continue to lose, and if they can help the Bears acquire the No. 1 overall pick for the second straight year. If so, the biggest story will be what the team does with that pick. Will they trade and keep Justin Fields for the second year in a row? Or will they reset the rebuild with a new franchise quarterback?
With three games left, a lot could change, but for now it looks like the Bears are in position to add some quality players to their roster in next year’s draft.
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