The Chicago Bears hold the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft heading into the season’s final week. And they still have a shot at jumping the Texans for the No. 1 pick. They also have a chance to slide down the draft board if they luck their way into a win against the Minnesota Vikings next Sunday.
With the Vikings still fighting for the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoffs, there’s a chance they play their stars against the Bears in Week 18. That would be ideal for the Bears.
There is still a path to what will be a very lucrative top pick in the NFL Draft, one that feels only more lucrative today after watching Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud ball out on New Year’s Eve. That path is simple, but it requires help from the Texans.
Where Will the Bears Pick in the NFL Draft?
The Bears will get the No.1 pick if Houston beats the Colts in Week 18, and the Bears lose to the Vikings.
If the Texans lose to the Colts, the Bears have no shot at the top pick. But they could slide out of the top two depending on what happens in their game with the Vikings. A loss to Minnesota would give them a 3-14 record and lock them into the No. 2 pick. In that sense, they are in control of their own fate.
But if the Bears luck their way into a win against Minnesota, they could drop down to No. 3 overall. But fortunately, no lower than fourth. The Broncos and Cardinals are right behind the Bears in the reverse standings this morning at 4-12. Losses for those two teams and a win for the Bears would leave them in a three-way tie at 4-13. The tiebreakers would have the Bears drop to fourth in that scenario. Then, Denver would move into the No. 2 spot and Arizona into the No. 3 spot.
A Bears win against the Vikings, and a win for one or the other (Broncos/Cardinals) would put the Bears at No. 3, and a Bears win against the Vikings and wins for both the Broncos and Cardinals would keep the Bears at No. 2.
Got all that?
Basically, the Bears need to lose on Sunday to guarantee themselves one of the top two picks. A win would make things complicated and almost impossible to stay inside of the top two.