The Chicago Bears suffered a devastating 20-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday, where they blew a fourth-quarter lead for the third time this season.
So how did Chicago’s loss impact their current draft positioning?
Following Sunday’s action, the Bears still hold two of the top five picks in the 2024 NFL draft, according to Tankathon.
The Carolina Panthers’ first-round pick, which belongs to Chicago, remains No. 1 overall — even after the team won their second game of the season and the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals each lost. Meanwhile, the Bears’ selection is still fifth overall after their loss and subsequent results around the league.
- Bears (via Panthers, 2-12)
- Patriots (3-11)
- Cardinals (3-11)
- Commanders (4-10)
- Bears (5-9)
There are plenty of questions surrounding the Bears with the final four games on deck, including the future of quarterback Justin Fields. If Chicago manages to snag the top selection in the draft, general manager Ryan Poles will need to determine whether any quarterback in the 2024 class blows him away or if the Bears will stick with Fields, who’s entering the final year of his rookie deal (and the fifth-year option is still in play). Trading back from a top draft spot isn’t out of the question either.
The Panthers remain the lone two-win team left in the NFL, where the New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals each have three wins, which means Carolina needs to lose just two more games this season (or they need to win one or some) for Chicago to secure the top pick for a second consecutive season.
For what it’s worth, the Panthers will face the Green Bay Packers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers to close out the season.
