Bengals NFL Draft Order: Where would Cincinnati pick in the first round after Week 13?

Move over playoff odds. The Cincinnati Bengals may not be mathematically eliminated from the postseason hunt, but when the percentage chance can be counted with just one hand, it's time to look at something else.The 4-8 Bengals are now in serious contention for a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bengals haven't drafted […]

John Sheeran — Cincinnati Bengals News Writer
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Dec 1, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor reacts as time winds down during the fourth quarter against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Paycor Stadium.
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Move over playoff odds. The Cincinnati Bengals may not be mathematically eliminated from the postseason hunt, but when the percentage chance can be counted with just one hand, it's time to look at something else.

The 4-8 Bengals are now in serious contention for a top-10 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Bengals haven't drafted this high since 2021 when they selected wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase with the fifth-overall pick. 

Where are they now after Week 13? The final answer will depend on "Monday Night Football," but we have a distinct range to look at now.

Bengals would pick 10th overall in the 2025 NFL Draft right now

There are eight teams with fewer wins than the Bengals after 13 weeks, and the only team that can change that is the 3-8 Cleveland Browns who play the 7-5 Denver Broncos tonight. 

The Bengals currently have 10th spot with the 4-8 New Orleans Saints in the 9th spot despite having the same record. Here's what the current top 10 looks like, via Tankathon.com: 

  1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10, .500)
  2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10, .529)
  3. New York Giants (2-10, .541)
  4. New England Patriots (3-10, .461)
  5. Carolina Panthers (3-9, .483)
  6. New York Jets (3-9, .505)
  7. Tennessee Titans (3-9, .510)
  8. Cleveland Browns (3-8, .512)
  9. New Orleans Saints (4-8, .495)
  10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8, .495)

If the Browns beat the Broncos tonight, then they'd move to 4-8 and behind the Bengals in the order due to strength of schedule. The Bengals would move up to the 9th spot while the Saints go to the 8th spot and the Browns slide to the 10th spot. Just outside the top 10 would be the 4-8 Chicago Bears with a higher strength of schedule (.562).

The best possible record the Bengals can finish with is 9-8, which was their record in 2023. That got them the 18th overall pick last year, and it would net a similar result this year as well. If they lose out and finish 4-13, they could be in contention for the first-overall pick. 

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