Seahawks' Rooting Guide for 2023 NFL Draft Implications of Week 17

Kenneth Walker III is one of many promising rookies from the Seahawks' 2022 draft class.

This time of year, NFL fans are either rooting for better draft positioning or a playoff spot. Seattle Seahawks fans will get to do a bit of both in Week 17.

While the first year of the post-Russell Wilson era has led to an unexpected bid to make the NFC playoff field, the trade that sent the quarterback to Denver might just bring back a top-three pick in the draft.

Three straight losses have put the Seahawks' playoff spot in danger. They are just a half-game behind the Washington Commanders for the final wild-card slot. However, a win over the New York Jets could put them right back in business on that front.

Here's a look at three other games the 12th man should have their eye on to maximize the draft pick they are getting from the Wilson trade this year.

Current Draft Order

Charles Cross was the Seahawks' first selection in the 2022 draft.

1. Houston Texans

2. Chicago Bears

3. Seattle Seahawks (via DEN)

4. Arizona Cardinals

5. Indianapolis Colts

6. Atlanta Falcons

7. Detroit Lions (via LAR)

8. Carolina Panthers

9. Las Vegas Raiders

10. Philadelphia Eagles (via NO)

11. Houston Texans (via CLE)

12. Tennessee Titans

13. Seattle Seahawks

14. New England Patriots

15. New York Jets

16. Pittsburgh Steelers

17. Green Bay Packers

18. Detroit Lions

19. Jacksonville Jaguars

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

21. Washington Commanders

22. Forfeited (Miami Dolphins)

23. New York Giants

24. Los Angeles Chargers

25. Baltimore Ravens

26. Denver Broncos (via SF)

27. Cincinnati Bengals

28. Dallas Cowboys

29. Kansas City Chiefs

30. Minnesota Vikings

31. Buffalo Bills

32. Philadelphia Eagles

Draft order via Tankathon. Miami's pick (currently 22 overall) will be forfeited for tampering.

Where the Seahawks Stand

The Seahawks have a decision to make after Geno Smith's surprise 2022 campaign.

If the draft were held today, the Seahawks would not make the playoffs, but they would have the third and 13th picks in the draft. Considering what they have been able to do with their current roster and Geno Smith at the helm, it would be a tremendous opportunity to bolster a promising collection of talent.

There's still a chance it gets better, though.

Obviously, it would be preferable for them to be picking later with their own pick. The wild-card team that is eliminated with the worst record picks 19th, so making the postseason would guarantee that pick falls considerably.

Getting a top-three selection kind of renders that point moot, though. ESPN's projections before Thursday Night Football gave the Seahawks a 7.7 percent chance to get the No. 1 pick, and the odds of a top-five pick are nearly a lock at 97.8 percent.

A top-three pick would likely give Seattle the option of replacing Geno Smith with Bryce Young or C.J. Stroud or opting for one of the top three defensive prospects on Bleacher Report's latest big board: Edge defender Will Anderson Jr., defensive lineman Jalen Carter or Edge defender Myles Murphy.

Either way, it could be a foundational piece for a team looking to make a leap next season.

Games to Watch

Jerry Jeudy and the Denver Broncos need to keep losing for Seattle to move up the draft board.

Broncos at Chiefs, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

This is the obvious one and the spot that will most likely play in Seattle's favor. To maximize their first pick they need the Broncos to continue to be bad at football. So far, that's worked out pretty well.

The latest evidence was a 51-14 loss on Christmas Day. It's one thing to get blown out by one of the league's best teams, but the Rams squad that embarrassed the Broncos was without Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald or several other role players.

That's why it was apparently a breaking point for the Nathaniel Hackett era in Denver. They fired their head coach and will now have Jerry Rosburg as the interim to close out the season.

That's not likely enough to stand a chance against the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes and Co. are tied with the Buffalo Bills for the top seed in the AFC.

Bears at Lions, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

No team has a longer losing streak than the Chicago Bears. They've dropped eight straight, and with the Texans beating the Tennessee Titans last week, they now have a real chance to secure the No. 1 pick if they lose their next two games.

That's not great news for the Seahawks. They still have an outside shot at having the Denver pick pass the Bears if they were to win another game.

Despite the eight-game skid, Seahawks fans can hold out hope. The Bears have had a few close calls in those eight games and one of them was a 31-30 loss to the Lions. Granted, Detroit is 4-2 in the six games since that loss, but the precedent is there for it to be a good game.

A Bears win would give hope the Broncos pick that Seattle owns could move to No. 2 overall which could be significant given the talent at the top of the draft board.

Colts at Giants, Sunday, 1 p.m. ET

This one actually matters for the Seahawks on both the draft and playoff fronts.

The Indianapolis Colts are a team within striking distance of the Broncos' pick at 4-10-1 with a five-game losing streak. Meanwhile, the Giants are clinging to the sixth seed in the NFC with an 8-6-1 record.

If the Seahawks were to win out and the Giants lose the next two weeks, they would be able to catch their NFC East competitor. A win for the Colts would take them out of the running to surpass the Broncos' pick unless Denver were to win out.

While the Colts showed signs of life two weeks ago in an overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings, they followed it up by starting Nick Foles and losing 20-3 to the Chargers. Don't plan on getting help from them.