Bears, via Panthers, clinch No. 1 pick in NFL Draft; Cardinals sit at No. 4

The Chicago Bears officially own the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

By virtue of the Carolina Panthers (2-14) losing 26-0 to the Jacksonville Jaguars in north Florida while the Arizona Cardinals (4-12) won 35-31 against the Philadelphia Eagles in the City of Brotherly Love, Carolina secured the top spot in the draft order.

However, thanks to a March trade between the Bears and the Panthers which sent the No. 9 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, a 2024 first- and second-rounder on top of wide receiver DJ Moore to Chicago in exchange for the No. 1 pick used on quarterback Bryce Young, Carolina’s No. 1 pick is actually Chicago’s.

Arizona drops to No. 4

By virtue of their win on Sunday against the Eagles, the Cardinals are now in a three-way tie for the second-worst record at 4-12. However, according to Tankathon, the Cardinals now own the No. 4 pick due to strength of schedule, which sits at .567. Washington, which currently owns the No. 2 pick, and New England, which owns the No. 3 pick, both have a .515 strength of schedule.

Arizona also owns the No. 18 pick, which is held by the Houston Texans. Houston also had a good week of football behind a 26-3 win over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Arizona secured the first-rounder last draft in a trade that shipped off the Cardinals’ No. 3 pick (used on Will Anderson Jr.) to Houston in exchange for the No. 12 overall pick and the 2024 first-rounder. General Manager Monti Ossenfort then dealt away the No. 12 pick in a deal with the Detroit Lions to come up and grab rookie offensive lineman Paris Johnson Jr. at No. 6 overall.

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