Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order After Sunday's Week 6 Results
The Carolina Panthers' head coaching change couldn't spark an immediate turnaround. On Sunday, they lost 24-10 to the Los Angeles Rams in their first game since Steve Wilks took over as interim head coach after the firing of Matt Rhule.
That made the Panthers the first team in the NFL this year with five losses, as they fell to 1-5. Their only win through the first six weeks of the season came in Week 3, when they beat the New Orleans Saints. They have since dropped three in a row.
At this point, the Panthers appear to be among the teams most likely to end up with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL draft. But with 12 more weeks to go in the season (as well as a Week 6 Monday night matchup between the Los Angeles Chargers and Denver Broncos), the standings could look quite different come January.
Here's how the draft order currently looks with most of the Week 6 action complete.
Updated 2023 NFL Draft Order
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1. Carolina Panthers (1-5)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)
3. Detroit Lions (1-4)
4. Houston Texans (1-3-1)
5. Houston Texans (via Cleveland Browns) (2-4)
6. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints) (2-4)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4)
8. Arizona Cardinals (2-4)
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4)
10. Chicago Bears (2-4)
11. Washington Commanders (2-4)
12. Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos) (2-3)
13. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
14. Seattle Seahawks (3-3)
15. Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)
16. New England Patriots (3-3)
17. Forfeited pick (via Miami Dolphins) (3-3)
18. Green Bay Packers (3-3)
19. Miami Dolphins (via San Francisco 49ers) (3-3)
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3)
21. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
22. Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams) (3-3)
23. Indianapolis Colts (3-2-1)
24. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)
25. Tennessee Titans (3-2)
26. New York Jets (4-2)
27. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
28. New York Giants (5-1)
29. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)
30. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
31. Buffalo Bills (5-1)
32. Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)
Draft order via Tankathon.com.
Are Panthers Destined for No. 1 Pick?
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Not only are the Panthers struggling on the field at the moment, but they could also soon be making changes to their roster. Trade rumors have been swirling around several key players on their offense, and deals may be on the horizon.
The player most likely to be traded appears to be wide receiver Robbie Anderson, who didn't make it to the end of Sunday's contest in Los Angeles. He got into sideline arguments with several members of the Carolina coaching staff and was sent to the locker room before the game was over.
The 29-year-old told reporters afterward that he was upset he wasn't on the field for some critical third-down plays.
However, Wilks did not want to elaborate on the situation.
"I'm going to say this. No one is bigger than the team," the interim head coach said. "And I'm not going to focus and put a lot of attention on one individual."
Even before this happened, Anderson seemed to be on the trade block. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported that the Temple product was "receiving interest and could be traded in the right opportunity."
According to Rapoport, running back Christian McCaffrey was getting "significant interest from teams" and the Panthers had also received inquiries regarding wide receiver DJ Moore, defensive end Brian Burns and defensive tackle Derrick Brown. But it isn't clear how seriously Carolina is considering moving any of those players.
Nonetheless, it wouldn't be surprising if the Panthers' roster was without at least a couple of those names after the Nov. 1 trade deadline. They may already be thinking about the future and hoping to add more draft capital.
Meanwhile, Carolina's on-field struggles could continue. Quarterback Baker Mayfield is dealing with an ankle injury and backup QB PJ Walker left Sunday's game with a neck ailment. Jacob Eason took over for Walker, who could be healthy in time to play in Week 7.
The quarterback position might not matter for the Panthers at the moment, though. They have some tough games ahead and no momentum. They seem destined for an early pick in 2023.
Struggling Teams Look to Rebound After Byes
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The Panthers aren't the only team in the NFL with just one win this season. There's also the Raiders (1-4), Lions (1-4) and Texans (1-3-1), although all three were on a bye in Week 6.
A week off came at the right time for that trio. None of them want to end up with a high pick in the 2023 NFL draft, because that means they wouldn't have gotten their 2022 season back on track, which is what they'll each be trying to do when they return to action.
The most surprising name among that group is the Raiders. Their sole win this year was a Week 4 victory against the Broncos, but three of their five games have been AFC West matchups, so they've faced some strong competition.
In Week 7, Las Vegas will look for its second win of the season when it faces Houston, which notched its first victory of the season just before its bye. The Texans beat the AFC South rival Jaguars 13-6 in Week 5 to take some momentum into their week off.
Houston has been playing some competitive games, so perhaps it will go on a roll at some point in the near future. However, either the Texans or Raiders will still have only one win heading into Week 8.
Meanwhile, the Lions have lost three straight games since their Week 2 victory over the Commanders. The Detroit offense impressed early in the year, but the team lost 29-0 to New England in Week 5. So, it will need better production than that when it returns to the field for a Week 7 matchup at Dallas.
It's possible the Raiders, Texans and Lions all continue to struggle and end up with top draft picks in 2023, although any of them could start rolling and prevent that from happening. In order for the latter scenario to happen, they'll need to improve after their week off.
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