The San Francisco 49ers' playoff chances aren't completely wiped out, but they're slim enough that it's not unreasonable to look ahead to the offseason and next year's NFL draft.
If the 49ers win a few games down the road and get right back into the playoffs, we can get back to this group. First, let's take a look at the state of next year's draft, with the 49ers heading toward a top-10 pick after three straight losses at 5-7 on the season.
San Francisco is one of four teams with seven losses and is just behind a trio of clubs with eight losses. There was a chance for a fourth team with eight losses, but the Cleveland Browns couldn't keep up against the Denver Broncos on Monday night, falling to 3-9.
This is what the draft order for the non-playoff teams looks like after 13 weeks Tankathon:
1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
3. New York Giants (2-10)
4. New England Patriots (3-10)
5. Carolina Panthers (3-9)
6. New York Jets (3-9)
7. Tennessee Titans (3-9)
8. Cleveland Browns (3-9)
9.Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
10. New Orleans Saints (4-8)
11. Chicago Bears (4-8)
12. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
13. Dallas Cowboys (5-7)
14. San Francisco 49ers (5-7)
15. Indianapolis Colts (6-7)
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)
17. Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
18. Arizona Cardinals (6-6)
The first tiebreaker is strength of schedule, which is the combined winning percentage of a team's opponents. The team with the worst playing strength will be selected earlier.
San Francisco has the strongest schedule and receives the worst selection of the trio of 5-7 teams.
Sunday's game against the Bears could be a big game for the 49ers in terms of their draft position. The 49ers will certainly try to win every game, especially while they are not technically eliminated from the playoffs. But as their season progresses, they get closer to a top-10 pick that can help them retool for the 2025 season.
