The Chicago Bears did it – they’re officially picking No. 1 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft after an extremely disappointing season. It might be just what this team needs, considering they’ve only had one first round draft pick in the past four offseasons – they drafted Justin Fields with the No. 11 overall pick in 2020.
With the No. 1 overall pick, the Bears can do whatever they please. They can keep the pick and draft the best player available – they have a lot of needs, so they can improve anywhere. In the event they prefer a guy who might fall a few picks back, they could also trade the No. 1 pick in lieu of more assets/players.
The ball really is in Chicago’s court – either way, they’re going to walk away a better team. Of course, only time will tell if they make the right decision. Having the No. 1 pick can go so well for a team, but it could also go just as bad. After all, busts are a thing and not all No. 1 picks end up panning out in the NFL.
What Does the 2023 NFL Draft Order Look Like Today?
The 2023 NFL Draft is just three months away and, while the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles have bigger fish to fry, the 30 other teams in the league are already trying to figure out what to do with their draft picks. It’s something they’ve thought about all year, but they now know what picks they have.
As of right now, the first 30 draft picks are set, with the final two picks of the first round being decided in the Super Bowl. With an incoming class of talented rookies, teams can easily find a starting-caliber player in the first 2-3 rounds and can fill out some of their deepest holes throughout the rest of the draft.
Of course, a lot of the attention will be on the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft – more specifically, the top 10-15 picks. Those are where teams are going to find franchise-changing and future-altering players. If teams aren’t drafting that high, there’s a good chance they’re looking for a way to get up that high.
Let’s take a look at how the 2023 NFL Draft order is shaping up right now – don’t forget, there are only 31 first round picks since the Miami Dolphins had to forfeit their first rounder for tampering violations.
30 & 31. Kansas City Chiefs / Philadelphia Eagles
The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles are going to battle it out on February 12 for Super Bowl LVII. The loser of the game will be picking No. 31 in the first round, while the winner will have the No. 30 pick in the first round. It’ll be the first pick for the Chiefs, but not for the Eagles – they also have the 10th pick in the draft. Don’t worry Chiefs’ fans, you’ll have eight total picks in the draft and might even add more!
29. New Orleans Saints (via 49ers)
This pick has moved around quite a bit. It was originally the San Francisco 49ers’ pick, but they traded it to the Miami Dolphins, who then traded it to the Denver Broncos, who then traded it to the New Orleans Saints in the deal that sent head coach Sean Payton from NO to DEN. The Saints can use all the assets they can get, but they’ll be focusing on finding a quarterback and shoring up their OL and DL.
28. Cincinnati Bengals
The Cincinnati Bengals finished the regular season 12-4-0 (.750) and were on an eight-game winning streak heading into the playoffs – where they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Championship Game. They’ll have seven total picks in the NFL Draft with their biggest needs being their secondary, offensive line, and tight end positions. Overall, this roster is stacked, but a few tweaks are necessary.
27. Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills finished the regular season 13-3-0 (.813) and were on a seven-game winning streak heading into the playoffs – where they lost to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Divisional Round. They only have six picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and are in desperate need of help along the offensive line. Of course, they can also use some depth at wide receiver and linebacker, but this is still a solid roster.
26. Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys finished the regular season 12-5-0 (.706) and were 8-1-0 at home before losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the AFC Divisional Round. The team will have six picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and have a lot of holes to fill – most importantly along the secondary, offensive line, and wide receiver. They have several cornerstone pieces on their roster already, but they need complimentary players.
25. New York Giants
The New York Giants finished the season 9-7-1 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2016 – when the team had Eli Manning under center. Now, the team has Daniel Jones and they can also say they have a playoff win under their belt – their first since Super Bowl XLVI. Moving forward, the team will have to address the interior of their O-Line, their secondary, and get Jones some help at wide receiver.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars finished the season 9-8-0 (.529) and won the AFC South Division after winning the final five games of the year. They showed they’ll be the team to beat in the division moving forward, especially if Trevor Lawrence continues his rise. They can use some help on the edge of their offensive line, as well as their defensive line and secondary – all three of which they can address in the draft.
23. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings finished the season 13-4-0 (.765) and had many people thinking they could go all the way. Then again, not everyone was fooled as they lost to the Giants in the NFC Divisional Round. A majority of their offseason has to be spent on the defense – it can use all the help it can get, especially the secondary and defensive line. Some additional depth at wide receiver would help Kirk Cousins.
22. Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens finished the season 10-7-0 (.588), despite Lamar Jackson missing most of the second half of the season. They were able to make the playoffs, but their backup QB wasn’t enough to get them a win. The most important question for them this offseason is whether or not they can get Lamar a new contract – they would be dumb not to. And while the defense needs help, get this team some WRs!
21. Los Angeles Chargers
The Los Angeles Chargers finished the season 10-7-0 (.588), despite having one of the more talented rosters in the league. Their defense underperformed consistently and not having Keenan Allen most of the season didn’t help the offense find their groove. The good news is they have their quarterback of the future and several cornerstone players on defense – they just need to build around it, which they will.
20. Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks finished the season 9-8-0 (.529), narrowly making it into the playoffs as a Wild Card team. Considering they traded away their franchise quarterback prior to the season starting, they had an incredible season that they can build off of moving forward. The team also has the No. 5 pick in the draft (see below), so they can do whatever they want – even go after a superstar quarterback.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finished the season 8-9-0 (.471), but somehow made a playoff appearance as the winner of the NFC South – the three other teams in the division finished 7-10-0. The Bucs have likely seen the end of the Tom Brady experiment, so that will consume a lot of their energy during the offseason. Aside from a quarterback, they need a lot of help along the offensive line and secondary.
18. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions finished the season 9-8-0 (.529) and are in a similar position as the Seattle Seahawks. They over-exceed expectations this season and showed they’re closer to being a playoff contender than we all thought – so long as Jared Goff can play that well consistently. They have two first round picks (No. 18 and No. 6), so they hold all the leverage right now. All this team needs is a lot of help on defense.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers finished the season 9-8-0 (.529), which isn’t that bad for a team in the midst of a rebuild after Ben Roethlisberger retired. They ended the year on a four-game win streak as Kenny Pickett started to gain some chemistry with his guys. The Steelers have six picks in the draft, including three in the first two rounds – which they can use to help bolster their offensive line and defensive line.
16. Washington Commanders
The Washington Commanders finished the season 8-8-1 (.500) as they continued their search for a starting quarterback. They’ll likely be in the market for a veteran or rookie at the position, but can also use some help in the secondary – more specifically, cornerbacks – and offensive line. This team has some quality pieces, both on offense and defense, they just need the pieces to start bringing it all together.
15. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers finished the season 8-9-0 (.471) and were one of the biggest disappointments of 2022-23. With that said, they did win 3 of their last 4 and it appears as if Aaron Rodgers will be back for at least one more go at it. With a mid-round pick, the team should be looking at getting Rodgers a quality tight end, but they can also use some help at safety and need to bolster their pass rush on defense.
14. New England Patriots
The New England Patriots finished the season 8-9-0 (.471), losing 3 of their last 4 and failing to make the playoffs for the second time in three years. They didn’t play poorly, but they lacked playmakers and weren’t getting a lot of help from their quarterback. They don’t seem to be moving on from Mac Jones, so they’re going to have to shore up their offensive line and give him some weapons if they want to improve.
13. New York Jets
The New York Jets finished the season 7-10-0 (.412) and were losers in each of their final six games, but this team is better than their record states. They still need a quarterback to step up, but they have all the playmakers they need on both offense and defense. If they can find a win-now quarterback and use their picks to improve their offensive line (or a safety), then this team might impress some folks next year.
12. Houston Texans (via CLE)
The Houston Texans received this pick from the Cleveland Browns – it was part of that massive trade that sent Deshaun Watson from HOU to CLE. The team also holds the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, which puts them in the driver’s seat as they try and figure out where to go from here. With 13 total picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, you can expect them to trade a few of those – but they also need help everywhere.
11. Tennessee Titans
The Tennessee Titans finished the season 7-10-0 (.412), despite starting the year 7-3-0 – they lost seven straight games to end the year. They have six total picks in the 2023 NFL Draft and will likely use most of them on the offense. They can use some youth along the offensive line and need some offensive weapons (WR, TE) for their QB – whether that’s Malik Willis or someone new that enters the mix.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO)
The Philadelphia Eagles have already won the offseason. Not only are they playing for a shot at the Super Bowl, but they have two first round picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, including this pick – which came from the Saints. With one of the best rosters in football already, one has to wonder what they do with their collateral. We can expect some of their key defensive starters to leave, so replacing them will be a must.
9. Carolina Panthers
The Carolina Panthers finished the season 7-10-0 (.412), which isn’t all that bad – considering they traded away their best player and don’t have a quarterback they can trust. The good news is they have seven draft picks, including three in the first two rounds. They can certainly make a play at a quarterback – and they probably should – but they also need to get him some weapons and shore up their secondary.
8. Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons finished the season 7-10-0 (.412), but ended the year on a high note with two wins in a row. They have eight picks in the 2023 NFL Draft, five of which are in the later rounds – which they can use to fill in depth or use to trade up. Either way, the Falcons can make some moves to improve their pass rush, while also finding themselves a quarterback (if they want) and some quality weapons.
7. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders finished the season 6-11-0 (.353) and were losers in each of their last three games. They’ve made it clear that Derek Carr is no longer their quarterback, so they’ll definitely be in the market there – if they don’t address it in the draft, they’ll find a veteran who can keep Davante Adams happy. They’ll also need help along the offensive line and can use some talented pass rushers.
6. Detroit Lions (via LAR)
We talked about the Detroit Lions earlier with the No. 18 overall pick and here they are, back again at No. 6. They received this pick from the Los Angeles Rams and have eight picks total – including four in the first two rounds. They can make some serious moves, especially since they feel comfortable with Jared Goff at quarterback. If they use their picks wisely, they should have a much better defense next year.
5. Seattle Seahawks (via DEN)
The Seattle Seahawks are back again – they also have the No. 20 overall pick, with the No. 5 pick originally being owned by the Denver Broncos (it was a part of the trade that sent Russell Wilson from SEA to DEN). They need some depth along the defensive line with several players entering contract years, but they also need to start thinking about their QB – they can’t rely on Geno Smith long-term.
4. Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts finished the season 4-12-1 (.265) and ended the year on a seven-game losing streak with Jeff Saturday as their head coach. The team was bad in most areas on the field, so they should really be going for the best player available at No. 4, but they desperately need a long-term answer at quarterback. Offensive line and wide receiver rooms also need a lot of help moving forward.
3. Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals finished the season 4-13-0 (.235) and ended the year on a seven-game losing streak – they won just one home game all year long. They don’t have a fifth or seventh round pick this year, but they need desperate help along the offensive line and defensive line – especially their pass rush. Of course, even that isn’t going to save this team, who are also looking for a new head coach.
2. Houston Texans
The Houston Texans finished the season 3-13-1 (.206), winning two of their last three games – otherwise, they might be sitting at No. 1 overall. If they have a quarterback they like, then that’s who they’re going to draft – no matter what it takes. Other than that, they need a lot of help along the line of scrimmage, so anything that will improve their offensive and defensive lines should be a target. Don’t forget, they also have the No. 12 pick.
1. Chicago Bears
The Chicago Bears finished the season 3-14-0 (.176) and were the winners of the 2023 NFL Draft sweepstakes. They have eight total picks in the draft, including five in Rounds 4-7. To be honest, there’s a good chance they trade this pick if someone gives them the right haul in return – it would be smart, considering the Bears have their quarterback and have several other needs across the board.
Who Are the Best Prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft?
The 2023 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 27-29 with the first round on Thursday, the second and third rounds on Friday and rounds 4-7 on Saturday. The event is taking place at the iconic Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri – nearby the city’s World War I Museum and Memorial. Are you excited yet?
Some of the best prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft include QB Bryce Young, LB Will Anderson Jr., QB C.J. Stroud, QB Will Levis, DT Jalen Carter, RB Bijan Robinson, CB Joey Porter Jr., WR Quentin Johnston, DE Tyree Wilson, OL Paris Johnson Jr., and WR Jaxon Smith-Njiba. The class is stacked!
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Alright, now that (most of) the 2023 NFL Draft order is set – barring any trades in the coming months, which will almost certainly happen – we can start to think about where some of these prospects may end up. Which teams will desperately fill a roster need and which ones will take the best player available?
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