Commanders' Rooting Guide for 2024 NFL Draft Implications of Week 16

The Washington Commanders haven't received much on their wishlist this season, but they are in position to receive a top-five pick heading into Christmas weekend.

The best gift the Commanders might be able to give their fan base is the gift of a fresh start. Ron Rivera's job security is very much in question going into the final weeks of the season. The Commanders are 4-10 with just three games left to play.

Four seasons into the Rivera era the Commanders haven't had a winning season and are having their worst season under his watch yet. The offensive line needs reinforcements, the secondary has been a weakness all season and the team traded away its two most talented edge rushers earlier this season.

For a franchise with as many needs as the Commanders, the draft order can be crucial. Getting a top three pick could put them in the driver's seat to trade down or it could give them their own shot at drafting the player of their choice.

But Washington still has to lose out and hope for some help to maximize their draft slot. They also have to hope some other teams cooperate.

Here's a look at three results they should be hoping for this weekend.

Cardinals over Bears

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Kyler Murray

At 4-10, the Commanders are just ahead of both the Arizona Cardinals (3-11) and New England Patriots (3-11) who occupy the second and third spots in the draft order.

However, there's hope that either (or both) of the teams could pick up another win between now and the end of the season.

This week's game in Chicago against the Bears is one of the best opportunities left for Arizona. The Cards are coming off a 45-29 shellacking at the hands of the Niners, but all things considered that's a good showing against San Francisco. They've steamrolled through several teams this season.

Since Kyler Murray's return the Cards are 2-3 so they are playing much better than their overall record would indicate. Meanwhile, the 5-9 Bears have been up-and-down in recent weeks. The offense has struggled, scoring 20 or more points just twice since Week 5.

A 20-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns all but eliminated the Bears from the playoffs last weekend. The Commanders will need to hope that there is a bit of a hangover effect for the Bears in this one with the Cardinals trying to get momentum in the stretch of the season with Murray.

Patriots over Broncos

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Bill Belichick

You would think the New England Patriots are all done winning games this season, but they are only two weeks removed from beating the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Ben Volin of The Boston Globe reported that Bill Belichick is not interested in retiring or even leaving the Patriots even though it appears that's where things are headed. That leaves the Pats in an odd position when it comes to tanking.

That's good news for the Commanders. They need to keep losing and for the Patriots to force the draft order to go to tie-breakers.

Since the Pats have moved to Bailey Zappe as their starting quarterback, they have at least been competitive every week. They were leading the Chiefs for most of the first half last week and lost 6-0 to the Chargers in the week before the win over the Steelers.

The Broncos were one of the hottest teams in the league for a while, but have cooled down considerably. They are 1-2 over the last three weeks including a 42-17 blowout loss to the Detroit Lions last week.

With the Denver defense giving up 42 last week, the Patriots just might be able to get enough offense together to help Washington out.

Giants over Eagles

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Tommy DeVito

While the first two results would help the Commanders sneak into the third round, the Giants winning would help increase Washington's grip on the fourth overall pick.

The Commanders hold a one-game advantage over the NFC East brethren. It's never fun to root for a division rival. However, the fact that a win here is pretty meaningless for New York and could have a huge impact on the draft order should help.

That being said, the Commanders have an uphill battle to see the result they want here. The Eagles have some things to iron out as they get ready for the playoffs, but they are still a much better team than the Giants.

But if we are looking for the optimistic perspective side, the Giants have been playing better. They have rallied around backup quarterback Tommy DeVito who has gone 3-2 in five starts with eight touchdowns to three interceptions.

DeVito guided them to three staright wins over the Commanders, Patriots and Packers, but the magic ran out against the Saints last week. The offense scored just six points in a 24-6 loss.

However, the Eagles are on a three-game losing streak, including a 20-17 loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week so don't count out the G-Men just yet.