For 20 NFL teams, the push for the playoffs — next year’s playoffs — starts tonight.
And while it’s little solace for the teams that didn’t make the postseason, most of them at least know when they’ll be picking in the 2018 NFL Draft.
The Browns (0-16) had already sewn up the top pick for the second year in a row, but the Texans’ loss to the Colts also gave them the fourth pick, after last year’s trade which the Texans turned into quarterback Deshaun Watson.
And with five picks in the first two rounds, the Browns better find their next quarterback or they might never.
The Giants (3-13) will pick second, giving new General Manager Dave Gettleman the opportunity to draft their eventual heir to Eli Manning as well.
The Colts (4-12) will pick third, followed by the Browns again, the Broncos (5-11), Jets, Buccaneers, Bears.
Thanks to Jimmy Garoppolo’s late-season five-game win streak, the 49ers (6-10) will pick either ninth or 10th, as they’ll flip a coin with the Raiders for those two spots since they had identical strength of schedule numbers (.512). Washington and Green Bay will also flip for the 13th and 14th picks, since they tied at 7-9 and had identical strength of schedule numbers (.539).
Draft order ties are broken by strength of schedule, and picks 21-32 are determined based on playoff results, with wild card round losers picking 21st through 25th. Here’s a look at the top 20 picks:
1 Browns 0-16
2 Giants 3-13
3 Colts 4-12
4 Browns (from Texans) 4-12
5 Broncos 5-11
6 Jets 5-11
7 Buccaneers 5-11
8 Bears 5-11
9 or 10 49ers 6-10 (coin flip)
9 or 10 Raiders 6-10 (coin flip)
11 Dolphins 6-10
12 Bengals 7-9
13 or 14 Washington 7-9 (coin flip)
13 or 14 Green Bay 7-9 (coin flip)
15 Cardinals 8-8
16 Ravens 9-7
17 Chargers 9-7
18 Seahawks 9-7
19 or 20 Cowboys 9-7 (coin flip)
19 or 20 Lions 9-7 (coin flip)