The New England Patriots entered Sunday with the No. 2 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and they are likely to remain in that position when all of the Week 15 games conclude.
The Patriots lost 27-17 to the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium, dropping their record to 3-11 at the bottom of the AFC standings.
The last time the Patriots had 11 or more losses in a single season was 2000 -- Bill Belichick's first as head coach in New England. The franchise hasn't lost more than 11 games since it went 2-14 in 1992, which resulted in the Pats getting the No. 1 pick in the 1993 NFL Draft (Drew Bledsoe).
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
🔊 Next Pats: What’s the blueprint for the Patriots finding their next franchise QB? | Listen & Subscribe | Watch on YouTube
The Patriots currently are tied with the Arizona Cardinals for the second-worst record in the league. The Patriots currently have a slightly worse strength of schedule (.523) than the Cardinals (.557), so they have the No. 2 pick right now.
The Patriots will be guaranteed at least a top-three pick if they lose each of their final three games. Another victory would open the possibility of the Patriots sliding to the No. 4 pick. The Washington Commanders are the only four-win team ahead of the Patriots and Cardinals.
The Patriots' chances of earning the No. 1 overall pick also increased Sunday when the Carolina Panthers upset the Atlanta Falcons 9-7 for their second win of the season. The Panthers still need to win at least one more game for the Patriots to get the No. 1 pick, and it's still unlikely that happens, but the odds are higher now than they were entering Week 15.
More Patriots coverage
Here's the updated order for the top 10 of the 2024 NFL Draft. We'll update this order as more Week 15 games conclude.
10. Atlanta Falcons, 6-8
9. Tennessee Titans, 5-9
8. Los Angeles Chargers, 5-9
7. New York Giants, 5-9
6. New York Jets, 5-9
5. Chicago Bears, 5-9
4. Washington Commanders, 4-10
3. Arizona Cardinals, 3-11
2. New England Patriots, 3-11
1. Chicago Bears (via Carolina Panthers, 2-12)