The Baltimore Ravens' chances of getting into the playoffs are dwindling by the week. They dwindled even more after the Ravens lost a home game to the Patriots while the Steelers won in Detroit this past weekend. The Ravens now have to win out and hope that the Steelers lose out if they want to punch their ticket into the playoffs.
With the playoffs not seeming like a realistic possibility for Baltimore, fans will now be turning their attention to the 2026 NFL Draft where the Ravens will have a pick in the first half of round one. This is unchartered territory for this team, as they're used to being in the playoffs and therefore picking later in the first round.
That likely won't be the case this time around and that might not be the worst news. This year's Ravens team wouldn't be destined for a long playoff run even if they somehow snuck in so getting a better draft pick is a nice silver lining for a team having an off-year.
Here's how the first round of the draft would play out if the season ended today, according to Tankathon:
Number | Team | Record | Strength of Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | New York Giants | 2-13 | .530 |
2 | Las Vegas Raiders | 2-13 | .545 |
3 | Cleveland Browns | 3-12 | .490 |
4 | New York Jets | 3-12 | .539 |
5 | Arizona Cardinals | 3-12 | .575 |
6 | Tennessee Titans | 3-12 | .575 |
7 | Washington Commanders | 4-11 | .500 |
8 | New Orleans Saints | 5-10 | .496 |
9 | Cincinnati Bengals | 5-10 | .516 |
10 | Miami Dolphins | 6-9 | .492 |
11 | Los Angeles Rams (via Atlanta Falcons) | 6-9 | .502 |
12 | Kansas City Chiefs | 6-9 | .514 |
13 | Dallas Cowboys | 6-8-1 | .441 |
14 | Baltimore Ravens | 7-8 | .504 |
15 | Minnesota Vikings | 7-8 | .520 |
16 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 7-8 | .528 |
17 | Detroit Lions | 8-7 | .492 |
18 | New York Jets (via Indianapolis Colts) | 8-6* | .535 |
Ravens season collapse leaves fans staring at unfamiliar draft reality
If the season ended right now, the Ravens would hold the 14th pick, which could help them address their pass rush, defensive line, or secondary on defense or wide receiver, tight end, or offensive line on offense. There's plenty of directions the Ravens could take with this pick so that'll be what fans are talking about the most this offseason.
This doesn't take away how disappointing this season was for the Ravens but hey, at least there's the silver lining of getting a better draft pick. Hopefully, Eric DeCosta can continue to draft well and ensure that whoever lands in Baltimore in round one can help this team get back to being a Super Bowl contender.