Projecting the 2016 NFL Draft Order: Week 9

We are at about the half-way point of the season and we still have a few undefeated teams left. The Carolina Panthers, New England Patriots, Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos are already in strong position to earn a playoff berth having their sights set on a potential 1st-round bye.

Other teams like the Detroit Lions and Tennessee Titans have their sights set on the 2016 NFL Draft.

As usual, this weeks projected 2016 NFL Draft Order uses the ESPN’s updated Power Rankings with a playoff scenario worked into equation.

1.Tennessee Titans (1-6)- Tennessee needs to officially shift their focus to developing the younger players on the roster. Moving on from Ken Whisenhunt at this point in the season is a surprise as there weren’t much expectations heading into the season. A major coaching change in the middle of his rookie season won’t help Marcus Mariota’s development.

2. San Francisco 49ers (2-6)- You know things have turned ugly when your starting quarterback is benched for Blaine Gabbert. Colin Kaepernick is a complete mess right now but he’s far from the only issue on this roster.

3. Detroit Lions (1-7)- Things just keep snowballing in Detroit which will bring major changes in the offseason. There’s talent on this roster but nobody is playing to their potential.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)- This may sound a little crazy, but the Jacksonville Jaguars are squarely in position to challenge for both the AFC South title and the No. 1 overall pick in the draft.

5. Chicago Bears (2-5)- The Bears have lost back to back divisional games in painful fashion. This group lacks the talent to be a playoff contender but it’s easy to see the impact John Fox and his coaching staff is having on the overall competitiveness of the team.

6. Baltimore Ravens (2-6)- A win is a win but the Ravens barely got past an injury riddled San Diego Chargers team that had to travel across the country. This is going to be a very long season in Baltimore with very little success.

7. Dallas Cowboys (2-5)- The past few weeks have been a struggle, but the Cowboys remain in the NFC East race. They’ll have a chance to gain some steam late in the season when Tony Romo returns and Dez Bryant gets back to full speed.

8. Houston Texans (3-5)- The Texans season has been a major disappointment, but somehow they are still in the mix to win their division. If the defense can get on track they have a legit shot to win the division and unseat the struggling Indianapolis Colts.

9. Washington Redskins (3-4)- Surprisingly, the Redskins are right in the thick of the NFC East race. They’ll be looking to build on the confidence they gain in their come from behind win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

10. Cleveland Browns (2-6)- Josh McCown is getting battered and bruised but somehow keeps on producing. By the time this season is over he’s going to feel 3 years older.

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4)- Don’t look now but Jameis Winston quietly leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to impressive wins. He’s cutting down on his turnovers and playing with more confidence.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (3-5)- Despite their two-game winning streak the Kansas City Chiefs are a team in the middle of the pack. They face an uphill climb to earn a playoff berth.

13. San Diego Chargers (2-6)- The injury bug has really taken a toll on the San Diego Chargers. They’ve had to deal with major injures all across the roster and it continued this past week with Keenan Allen suffering a kidney injury.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)- Hopefully the Eagles used the bye week to figure out their struggling running game. Otherwise, we could expect more of the same up and down performances from the offense.

15. Miami Dolphins (3-4)- Miami was brought back down to earth by the dominant New England Patriots this past week. However, the Patriots have been blowing out teams all year so the Dolphins need to take this loss with a grain of salt.

16. Buffalo Bills (3-4)- Luckily for the Buffalo Bills they’re still in the playoff hunt thanks to the struggles of teams like the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Jets. However, the upstart Oakland Raiders have entered the picture as a true contender for a wildcard spot.

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17. New Orleans Saints (4-4)- The Saints have really turned things around after a painful start to the season. They have a shot at making a playoff push, but will have to overtake either the Atlanta Falcons or Carolina Panthers within the division.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4)- The Steelers can’t catch a break as losing Le’Veon Bell the same day Ben Roethlisberger returns to the lineup is just bad luck. This injury puts a major dent in Pittsburgh’s already slim playoff hopes.

19. Minnesota Vikings (5-2)- Minnesota needed some late-game magic to beat the Chicago Bears but a win is a win. Its games like this that could be the difference between making and missing the playoffs.

20. St. Louis Rams (4-3)- Todd Gurley is a monster and should continue to put up great numbers. However, the Rams need to continue to improve their passing attack if they hope to make a run at the playoffs.

21. Indianapolis Colts (3-5)- Something is wrong with Andrew Luck whether it’s broken ribs, an injured shoulder or he’s pressing. Fortunately, the Colts are in the AFC South where they have time to work out the kinks.

22. New York Giants (4-4)- I still can’t believe Eli Manning threw 6 touchdown passes and the New York Giants still lost. Losses like this are what will keep the Giants out of the playoffs as they are leaving the door open for the other teams in the NFC East.

23. New York Jets (4-3)- The injuries to Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith and Brandon Marshall threaten to derail what was looking like a promising season. Things could get ugly if Bryce Petty is forced to start multiple games.

24. Seattle Seahawks (4-4)- The Seattle Seahawks will take the win but they are still a long way from playing Super-Bowl caliber football.

25. Oakland Raiders (4-3)- Oakland has officially turned the corner from laughing stock to relevancy. Things could look a lot better if they were able to pull off a late-game wins against the Chicago Bears and Denver Broncos. They lost both those games by a combined 8 points.

26. Atlanta Falcons (6-2)- The Falcons need Matt Ryan to figure things out and start playing to his potential. This team will struggle to make a major impact in the playoffs if Ryan continues to play average football.

27. Arizona Cardinals (6-2)- Arizona continues to play strong football and looks poised to make a Super Bowl run. The key will be remaining healthy—especially when it comes to Carson Palmer.

28. Cincinnati Bengals (7-0)- It wasn’t pretty but the Bengals were able to squeak out a win against the Pittsburgh Steelers. This win extended their sizeable lead within the AFC North division.

29. Carolina Panthers (7-0)- I’d love to see the Panthers make a move before today’s trade deadline and give Cam Newton another playmaker. This team has a chance to make some noise in the playoffs but the lack of offensive firepower will be an issue.

30. Denver Broncos (7-0)- The Broncos offense finally showed up and gave a glimpse of its potential. Peyton Manning’s arm looked good with him delivering several perfect deep balls. It also helps that they were able to establish the ground game.

31. Green Bay Packers (6-1)- I’m not putting too much stake in the Packers loss to the Denver Broncos this past week. Denver came out with something to prove and took control from the start of the game.

Forfeited- New England Patriots (7-0)- The Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski combination continues to dominate the league while showing no signs of slowing down. However, the continued emergence of Dion Lewis has been an equally important part of the offense.

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