For many NFL teams, Week 18 is a window into playoff season. But for others, it marks the unofficial start to draft season.

The finalization of the top of the first-round order provides some shape to the event, which is still more than three months away. And while events like the Senior Bowl, scouting combine and pro days — not to mention free agency — will surely provide critical insights, many fans are already wondering their team could land a top talent like Colorado’s Travis Hunter. And as always, the quarterbacks will once again dominate the pre-draft conversation, with Miami’s Cam Ward and Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders — and possibly Alabama’s Jalen Milroe — appearing to be the top prizes.

With much of the early first-round order set, here’s USA TODAY Sports’ latest 2025 NFL mock draft (remainder of the order filled in by Tankathon):

1. Tennessee Titans – Cam Ward, QB, Miami (Fla.)

With Ward, Tennessee might actually get what it hoped it would find in Will Levis: a dynamic thrower who can attack every level of the field. With the Titans’ suspect line likely not able to provide anywhere near the level of protection that the 6-foot-2, 223-pounder is accustomed to, there’s sure to be an adjustment period for a signal-caller who likes to test the boundaries of what he can get away with. But if he can settle in, Ward can help the team finally take off after two years of major moves from Ran Carthon.

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2. Cleveland Browns – Travis Hunter, CB/WR, Colorado

This could end up as the defining pick of the draft, as Cleveland will have to consider how eager it is to make a splashy move at quarterback with the Deshaun Watson uncertainty hanging over the franchise for at least another year. But this roster isn’t particularly well-equipped to serve a rookie signal-caller, and it would be hard to go wrong with the Heisman Trophy winner, who’s considered by many to be the premier talent of this class. Questions about how Hunter will be utilized at the next level are likely to amplify over the coming months, with much of the early feedback indicating teams could prefer the two-way star at cornerback. In whatever capacity the Browns would care to use him, Hunter would surely make significant mark.

3. New York Giants – Shedeur Sanders, QB, Colorado

Their Week 17 explosion cost them the No. 1 pick, but Big Blue still ends up in position to select a quarterback suited to take the team into a new era. When it comes to managing pressure, the question is not so much about whether Sanders can handle the New York media spotlight as it is if he can exhibit a quicker trigger as a passer. But an experienced and accurate signal-caller capable of taking rookie sensation Malik Nabers to the next level should be an exciting notion for the Giants.

4. New England Patriots – Will Campbell, OT, LSU

New England won its finale, but it might have lost a lot of leverage in the process. The Patriots are now behind several quarterback-hungry teams, thereby limiting their prospects for a trade back that could have helped them boost their draft capital while still securing a top offensive lineman or receiver. As it stands, they can address their most pressing problem by grabbing Campbell, a consensus All-American who could be the stabilizing presence this shaky front lacks.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars – Will Johnson, CB, Michigan

Injuries cost Johnson not only several games this season, but also his deserved spotlight. The 6-2, 202-pounder has proven himself capable of handling almost any matchup or coverage assignment conceivable, as he’s comfortable both blanketing receivers and making plays on the ball. He would be an immediate asset to a Jaguars team that was repeatedly gave up big gains through the air.

6. Las Vegas Raiders – Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

The Silver and Black seem like a strong candidate to trade up given that they’re long overdue to make a premium investment in a young passer. If no deal materializes, however, the Raiders can set the table nicely for whoever takes over behind center by taking McMillan, who would pair with record-setting rookie tight end Brock Bowers to form an imposing duo of pass catchers.

7. New York Jets – Mason Graham, DT, Michigan

With no general manager or coach in place and Aaron Rodgers potentially headed out the door, Gang Green’s future is shapeless at the moment. Regardless of whatever direction the franchise heads in, picking up another interior force to put next to Quinnen Williams could help get the rebuild started off right.

8. Carolina Panthers – Abdul Carter, DE/OLB, Penn State

The effects of trading away Brian Burns were sorely felt by a defense that ranked last in the NFL in pass rush win rate, according to ESPN, through Week 17. In racking up 11 sacks en route to earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, Carter proved he can wreck offensive game plans with regularity.

9. New Orleans Saints – Mykel Williams, DE, Georgia

Williams is far more of an athlete than finished product as a pass rusher. But with New Orleans rebooting and likely needing to someone to take over for the long term opposite Carl Granderson, the Saints can be patient in bringing along a 6-5, 265-pound edge rusher with physical tools that few in this class can match.

10. Chicago Bears – Ashton Jeanty, RB, Boise State

Is using a top-10 selection on a running back a good use of resources for a team with as many issues as the Bears? Maybe not. But there’s little question that Chicago has to take drastic action to better support Caleb Williams after a calamitous debut campaign for the 2024 No. 1 pick. Jeanty, who rushed for 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns in carrying Boise State to the College Football Playoff, is the rare ball carrier capable recalibrating an offense.

11. San Francisco 49ers – Kelvin Banks Jr., OT, Texas

Expecting anyone to take over for 11-time Pro Bowl selection Trent Williams at left tackle is bound to result in disappointment. But regardless of whether San Francisco would look to Banks to eventually take over at left tackle or move over to the right side – or even bump inside – the fleet-footed blocker could help get Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey back on track after a trying year.

12. Dallas Cowboys – Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri

Last season’s highest-scoring offense no longer looks particularly imposing, and it’s not just the Dak Prescott’s season-ending hamstring surgery that’s responsible for the dropoff. Though Burden’s electric skill set was seldom showcased by Missouri’s offense this season, he remains a big-play threat who can rack up yards after the catch with ease.

13. Miami Dolphins – Walter Nolen, DT, Mississippi

Even with myriad injuries and setbacks, it was still strange to see the Dolphins end up as one of four teams not to have a player selected to this year’s Pro Bowl given the substantial investment in top-end talent. Adding Nolen, a former No. 1 overall recruit who this season showed flashes of his immense potential, would represent another bet on explosiveness for a defense that could lose overperforming impending free agent Calais Campbell.

14. Indianapolis Colts – Malaki Starks, S, Georgia

A safety might seem like a stretch for a team with as many pain points as Indianapolis, but a Colts team mired in mediocrity should be in search of difference-makers in whatever form they come. After standout cornerback Kenny Moore II questioned the team’s effort and identity in November, Starks can step in to help set the tone for the defense with his playmaking range and savvy.

15. Atlanta Falcons – James Pearce Jr., DE, Tennessee

The pass rush came alive late in the season, but Atlanta shouldn’t rest on its laurels. With rapid burst off the line of scrimmage and the length to flummox offensive tackles, Pearce offers a tantalizing set of tools the Falcons can’t find elsewhere on their roster.

16. Arizona Cardinals – Jalon Walker, LB, Georgia

With no top-flight pass rusher at his disposal, Jonathan Gannon schemed up pressures from a variety of sources to cover for Arizona’s personnel deficiencies on defense. Walker and Gannon would make for a fitting pairing, as a player who has been likened to the coach’s former protege in Haason Reddick would no doubt come in handy as a spark plug for a unit that did not have one player reach five sacks this season.

17. Cincinnati Bengals – Shavon Revel Jr., CB, East Carolina

Outside of NFL sack king Trey Hendrickson, the Bengals don’t have many building blocks on a defense that came undone this past season. So long as he’s on track with his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in September, Revel should catch the eye of the Bengals as a smothering coverage presence built for AFC North tussles.

18. Seattle Seahawks – Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon

Protection problems and a toothless running attack prevented coordinator Ryan Grubb’s offense from taking flight in Year 1. An ascending blocker, Conerly could slide over to right tackle and solidify a spot that looked particularly vulnerable when Abraham Lucas was out.

19. Houston Texans – Derrick Harmon, DT, Oregon

Getting trampled by Derrick Henry on Christmas should push defensive tackle further up the Texans’ wish list. After a breakout campaign following his transfer from Michigan State, Harmon established himself as the kind of interior disruptor Houston needs to put between Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson Jr.

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Shemar Stewart, DL, Texas A&M

Todd Bowles has to be intrigued by the possibility of adding a 6-6, 290-pound defensive linemen who throws blockers off balance with his length and physicality? Stewart still has work to do to properly harness his hyperaggressive playing style, but he should still make his mark against the run in the early going as he figures things out.

21. Denver Broncos – Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State

Think Sean Payton could have some fun with a hard-charging, do-it-all tight end? Warren has made a solid case for himself to be the first tight end taken, and his prowess pulling away from defenders in coverage and with the ball in his hands would make things considerably easier for Bo Nix.

22. Pittsburgh Steelers – Jalen Milroe, QB, Alabama

Milroe might seem like an odd fit for Mike Tomlin, who instructed Russell Wilson to ‘take care of the football and stay on schedule’ prior to Pittsburgh ending the regular season on a four-game skid. But there’s no denying that he can ignite big plays as both a passer and runner, and the buzz around him could grow throughout the pre-draft process as he showcases his singular athleticism. If the Steelers can be patient with his development – perhaps sitting him behind Wilson or another established veteran to start – there’s a significant payoff to be had.

23. Los Angeles Rams – Josh Simmons, OT, Ohio State

With Alaric Jackson set to hit free agency, the Rams might need to mull their options at left tackle. Simmons is still recovering from a season-ending knee injury he sustained in October, but the 6-5, 310-pounder otherwise checks nearly every box for a high-end blindside protector.

24. Green Bay Packers – Landon Jackson, DE, Arkansas

Bailing on Lukas Van Ness might be premature, but the Packers can’t expect a seismic jump from the former first-rounder, especially given the lack of depth and production from the edge rush. Jackson overwhelms blockers with his 6-7, 280-pound frame, though he’ll need to develop additional ways to win at the next level.

25. Los Angeles Chargers – Colston Loveland, TE, Michigan

No hard sell should be required for Jim Harbaugh when it comes to getting a handle on Loveland’s capabilities. In Harbaugh’s final season with the Wolverines in 2023, Loveland used his speed and fluidity to rack up 45 catches for 649 yards in a run-heavy attack. Equipping Justin Herbert with a legitimate threat down the seam seems like a winning proposition.

26. Washington Commanders – Nic Scourton, DE/OLB, Texas A&M

Dan Quinn has made it clear he wants ‘heavy hitters’ in Washington, no matter what form they come in. Whether it’s how he closes in on the quarterback or locks in against an opposing offensive tackle, Scourton has shown he can be exactly that in his pass rushes.

27. Baltimore Ravens – Mike Green, DE/OLB, Marshall

It’s simplistic to think the Ravens can upgrade their occasionally flagging pass rusher by bringing aboard the Football Subdivision Leader in sacks (17). But the 6-4, 248-pounder is both explosive and lithe enough to snake past blockers at the next level, and he could shore up one of this unit’s few apparent shortcomings.

28. Minnesota Vikings – Kenneth Grant, DT, Michigan

Depending on how the offseason shakes out, cornerback might be the more immediate need on defense for Minnesota. But Grant can create opportunities for others with the attention he commands up front, and he could tap into his considerable potential under the leadership of Brian Flores – assuming the defensive coordinator doesn’t land a head coaching gig this cycle.30. Philadelphia Eagles – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

29. Buffalo Bills – JT Tuimoloau, DE, Ohio State

Outside of spot contributions from Von Miller, Buffalo isn’t getting much off the edge outside of Greg Rousseau’s contributions. Tuimoloau might be too rigid to ever post prolific sack numbers, but he can create consistent pressure through his forcefulness while also holding up well against the run.

30. Philadelphia Eagles – Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama

Yes, this would be a decidedly un-Howie Roseman-like move given how the GM approaches investing in linebackers. But with Zack Baun seemingly a strong candidate to cash in elsewhere after a breakout campaign that earned him a Pro Bowl nod, the Eagles should consider reloading with Campbell, whose versatility should shine through once he learns to play with a touch more discipline.

31. Kansas City Chiefs – Aireontae Ersery, OT, Minnesota

Counting on D.J. Humphries and Joe Thuney to solve the emergency at left tackle might get the two-time defending champions through the season, but it’s not a tenable long-term plan. A Kansas City native, Ersery requires some refinement in pass protection but could still be a worthwhile investment as a blindside protector for Patrick Mahomes.

32. Detroit Lions – Tyler Booker, G, Alabama

Kevin Zeitler has been outstanding at right guard, but he’ll turn 35 in March and will be a free agent after this season. Booker would fit right in with the rest of the Lions’ offensive line, as he’s a punishing presence in the run game.

This story has been updated with new information.

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The Green Bay Packers seem to have gotten bad news on wide receiver Christian Watson on Monday morning.

According to multiple reports, the 25-year-old is believed to have suffered a torn ACL in the Packers’ Week 18 game against the Chicago Bears.

Watson was running a route during the second quarter when he suddenly fell to the ground after trying to make a break. He grabbed his knee while he remained on the turf, and multiple Bears players called for the trainers to check on him. The third-year receiver was eventually carted back to the locker room.

Here’s the latest Watson injury update:

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What happened to Christian Watson?

During the second quarter of the Packers’ Week 18 clash with the Bears, Watson sustained an apparent non-contact knee injury while trying to run a route.

He remained on the ground grabbing at his knee after the play was over, and the Packers’ training staff ran out to tend to the young wideout. After a brief on-field evaluation, the trainers carted Watson back to the locker room for further evaluation. He did not return to the game.

Christian Watson injury updates

On Monday, multiple reports indicated that Watson is feared to have a torn ACL. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport added that Waton’s knee injury may include ‘additional damage.’

The young receiver almost didn’t play in Week 18, according to Fox Sports’ Jordan Schultz, ‘but he wanted to be out there for his team.’

The Packers have not yet released a statement confirming Watson’s status and the exact nature of his injury, but a torn ACL would indicate that Watson’s season is over. The Packers will be without one of their young wideouts when they play the Philadelphia Eagles in Sunday’s wild-card round clash.

How long is Christian Watson out?

If Watson suffered a torn ACL in Week 18, the timing of the injury would not only keep him out of the Packers’ postseason run but also jeopardize his status for the start of the 2025 regular season.

The recovery timeline from a torn ACL is generally around six to nine months, barring any unforeseen setbacks during the process, according to Cleveland Clinic. Athletes could require additional time in the recovery process before returning to action.

Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell is a recent example of a player who tore his ACL later in the season. After sustaining the tear in Week 15 last year, he was not activated again until Week 10 this season. Watson could face a similar timeline, offset by a few weeks.

Former five-star quarterback recruit Malachi Nelson has signed with UTEP, the Miners announced via social media on Monday.

The 6-foot-3 passer was the No. 11-ranked player and No. 5 quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings, signing with the Trojans. He was originally committed to Oklahoma but flipped once Lincoln Riley departed Norman for Los Angeles.

Nelson turned down more lucrative opportunities at more successful programs to sign with UTEP because of his trust in coach Scotty Walden, ESPN reported Sunday.

Nelson entered the transfer portal after his freshman season with USC and expected to compete for the starting job at Boise State. There, he was beat out by Maddux Madsen, who alongside Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty led the Broncos to the College Football Playoff and a No. 3 seed after winning the Mountain West Conference.

Madsen’s success, of course, led to Nelson looking elsewhere.

Malachi Nelson 247Sports rating

As a recruit: No. 11 overall player | No. 5 QB | No. 2 player from state of California
As a transfer: No. 334 overall player | No. 30 QB

According to 247Sports’ Composite rankings, Nelson was a five-star quarterback coming out of Los Alamitos High School (California), ranked as the No. 11 overall player and No. 5 quarterback in the 2023 recruiting class.

Malachi Nelson stats

In two collegiate seasons, Nelson completed 13 of 20 passes for 128 yards with no touchdowns to an interception, appearing exclusively in a reserve role.

The Los Alamitos, California, native held offers from the likes of Alabama, Auburn, Florida, LSU, Oregon and Ohio State, among numerous others out of high school. He hopes to revive his career with UTEP, who finished with a 3-9 record in 2024.

Once again, it’s that time of the year.

The NFL regular season concluded Sunday, ushering in the start of the playoffs with the wild-card round this coming weekend.

And no team gained more than the Detroit Lions, who earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed after taking down the division-rival Minnesota Vikings, who tumbled to the conference’s fifth seed after their loss in the regular-season finale. That means Detroit will join the Kansas City Chiefs, who already claimed the AFC’s top seed, as the two teams with first-round byes and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Elsewhere, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (narrowly) took care of business, while the Denver Broncos left no doubt.

Here are the winners and losers from the final NFL Sunday of the 2024 regular season.

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WINNERS

Lions make (more) history, roll to top of NFC

After a close first half, Detroit (15-2) throttled the Vikings (14-3) in the second half to earn its first ever No. 1 seed in the NFC in team history. The victory also extended the team record for most wins in franchise history. It was a typical Lions masterclass: The offense – which took some time to get going – launched explosive plays that built and then extended a lead.

More impressive, however, was the defensive game plan coordinator Aaron Glenn deployed, unleashing relentless pressure to unsettle Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold, who posted a season-low completion percentage (43.9%). What’s even more impressive is that the Lions so thoroughly dismantled Minnesota despite losing the turnover battle 2-0.

One reason why the bye is essential: Detroit is among the most banged-up teams, particularly on defense, and the extra time off should help them heal up a bit more.

Broncos prove they’re no fluke, affirm Sean Payton, Bo Nix choices

One season ago, before Sean Payton ever coached a game with the Broncos, he roasted the job his predecessor Nathaniel Hackett did in an interview with USA TODAY Sports’ Jarrett Bell. Payton drew widespread criticism. Now, a year-and-a-half later, although the delivery was perhaps overtly blunt and better left withheld from public consumption, Payton was proven right.

The Broncos (10-7) have snapped an eight-season playoff drought, and Payton’s tutelage of rookie quarterback Bo Nix is a big reason why. While the Chiefs rested their starters, the Broncos absolutely took care of business in a 38-point shutout. Nix had three incompletions and four passing touchdowns, going 26-of-29 for 321 yards. That this happened with Denver’s decision to eat the biggest dead cap hit in NFL history by releasing Russell Wilson shows just how efficient Nix and the Broncos have been under Payton.

By the slimmest of margins, Buccaneers get in

Tampa Bay, for the fourth consecutive season, has won the NFC South. It didn’t come without drama, as the Saints led by 10 at the half and by six at the start of the fourth, but the Buccaneers (10-7), as they have for most of the season, relied on grit, competitiveness, well-timed playmaking in the clutch and resilience.

And no player has embodied the Buccaneers resilience more than quarterback Baker Mayfield, who finished the regular season ranked third in passing yards (4,500), tied for second in passing touchdowns (41) and fourth in QB rating (106.8). At times, however, the Buccaneers do stagnate on offense and they can be inconsistent game-to-game. They can be careless with the ball. For them to make a run in the playoffs, they cannot afford any of that.

Commanders stay in 6-seed, avoid tough matchup – for now

Commanders coach Dan Quinn said Washington (12-5) would “fight like hell” to take the No. 6 seed. He removed quarterback Jayden Daniels from the game, so perhaps that was slightly disingenuous, but a game-winning touchdown pass to Terry McLaurin with three seconds left kept the Commanders from having to face the Eagles (14-3) in the wild-card round.

Instead, Washington will face the Buccaneers, a team whose defense the Commanders can exploit. Tampa Bay installs bodies in the box to stop the run and does that well. But the Buccaneers are a bit banged up in the secondary and struggle to stop the pass.

Bryce Young

When he was benched after Week 2, it looked like Bryce Young’s future with the Panthers – despite his being selected No. 1 overall in the 2023 draft – was in doubt. Yet Carolina (5-12) was forced to turn back to Young, and he has rewarded the Panthers with the best play of his career.

Over the last eight games of the season, Young has completed 62.1% of his throws for 1,709 yards and has scored 17 total touchdowns against three interceptions. The offensive line is still an issue, but Young has developed more confidence and is processing quicker. He has earned a future in Carolina; now it’s incumbent on the team to put talent around him.

LOSERS

Vikings tumble to 5-seed, but still lurk as dangerous team

Minnesota (14-3) certainly lost more than any playoff team, missing out on the potential top seed in the NFC and instead settling in at No. 5. The concern for the Vikings is whether Detroit’s constant barrage of pressure provides something of a blueprint for other teams to replicate. That said, not many teams have the athleticism and discipline that the Lions do.

Detroit held the Vikings without a single conversion in three fourth-down tries, four red-zone attempts and three goal-to-goal scenarios. But there’s still a chance for the Vikings to earn the ultimate bragging right; if they beat the Rams in the wild-card round, they will get a rematch against the Lions in two weeks in the divisional round, once again at Ford Field in Detroit.

It wouldn’t have mattered, but Atlanta defense lets the Falcons down, again

Given the optimism with which the Falcons (8-9) entered this season, with the signing of Kirk Cousins and a reworked coaching staff, this year can be considered nothing but a failure. For Atlanta to make it into the postseason, it needed to beat the Panthers and rely on the Saints beating the Buccaneers. Neither happened.

Patriots, long the paradigm of stability, opt for chaos

Perhaps they became so spoiled by the constant continuity of the 24 seasons of the Bill Belichick era, perhaps they impractically thought the first year of a rebuild would be better than this, but the Patriots (4-13) opted for instability by making Jerod Mayo, who had been appointed as Belichick’s successor, a one-and-done.

More may emerge in the coming days about internal friction, and Mayo’s operation was far from perfect, but New England should know better than most teams that coaching instability is the quickest path toward poor performance and irrelevance. The roster has massive holes and the offense lacks elite playmaking ability, particularly at receiver. Rookie quarterback Drake Maye will now almost certainly have three different offensive coordinators in as many seasons, going back to his final season with the Tar Heels. Perhaps the Patriots feel very good about their chances to land a replacement for Mayo whom they feel is a clear upgrade. That’s the only way this can be justified.

Dolphins, Bengals discover the pitfalls of relying on help

Both these squads needed help and both missed out on the playoffs. Cincy (9-8) started miserably slowly, beginning 1-4, including a season-opening loss to the rebuilding Patriots, a team that finished with four wins. Miami couldn’t weather early-season struggles, and its plan at backup quarterback doomed its prospects. The Dolphins couldn’t even top the struggling Jets on Sunday, allowing Aaron Rodgers to throw four touchdowns, the first time he has done so since Week 13 … of 2021.

The Jaguars on Monday fired Pederson, the team nnounced, just one day after a 26-23 overtime loss to the Indianapolis Colts wrapped up a 4-13 campaign. Pederson posted a 22-29 overall record with the organization.

General manager Trent Baalke will remain with the organization.

I had the difficult task this morning of informing Doug Pederson of my intention to hire a new head coach to lead the Jacksonville Jaguars,’ Khan said in a statement. ‘Doug is an accomplished football man who will undoubtedly enjoy another chapter in his impressive NFL career, and I will be rooting for Doug and his wife Jeannie when that occasion arrives. As much as Doug and I both wish his experience here in Jacksonville would have ended better, I have an obligation first and foremost to serve the best interests of our team and especially our fans, who faithfully support our team and are overdue to be rewarded. In that spirit, the time to summon new leadership is now.’

After Sunday’s loss, Pederson said he was ‘optimistic and hopeful’ that he would return next season.

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‘I’ll find out this week,’ Pederson said. ‘It’s hard to speculate right now. Emotions are running. I hope I’m still here, honestly. I feel like we have the makings of being a good football team. ‘

Jacksonville’s woes served as an extension of the struggles the franchise endured to end the 2023 season, when it dropped five of its final six games to fall out of the playoff picture despite its 8-3 start. Khan made clear in the offseason his lofty expectations for this year’s group, saying it was ‘the best team assembled by the Jacksonville Jaguars ever’ and that he expected to ‘prove it by winning now.’

But things quickly fell apart for Jacksonville. In Week 1, the team saw its 14-point lead over the Miami Dolphins erased in a 20-17 loss sealed by a last-second 52-yard field goal. Following an 18-13 loss to the Cleveland Browns to drop to 0-2, star quarterback Trevor Lawrence declared ‘we suck right now.’

Said Pederson after a 47-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3: ‘We’re not a very good football team and we’ve got to get it fixed.’

With the team standing at 1-4, Khan stood behind both Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke, backing both in an exclusive interview with the Florida Times-Union and USA TODAY Network.

‘I still believe in them,’ Khan said. ‘I believe in the players, I believe in the coaching staff. I believe in Trent [Baalke]. Obviously, the results are disappointing for all of them, just as well as me or any other Jaguar fan, but, the key thing one has to understand [is] we have evolved and really got to a level. I think we’ve got the players, we’ve got the coaching, we’ve got the facilities.’

The Jaguars also were responsible for the largest losing deficit in franchise history with a 52-6 defeat to the Detroit Lions in Week 11. The Lions, who scored touchdowns on each of their first seven drives, also achieved an all-time organizational best with 645 yards.

While many speculated that Pederson could lose his job after that contest, the Jaguars emerged from their bye without a coaching change.

Pederson, 56, was hired in 2022 to help the Jaguars quickly pivot from Urban Meyer’s disastrous lone season as coach, during which he went 2-11 before being fired. Having led the Philadelphia Eagles to the organization’s lone Super Bowl title as a head coach in 2017, Pederson was hailed by Khan as someone who could ‘replicate that magic’ for another franchise seeking its first title.

The former NFL quarterback and protege of Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid was also tasked with taking over the development of Lawrence, the franchise centerpiece. The No. 1 pick in the 2021 NFL draft was selected to the Pro Bowl in Pederson’s first season, in which he threw for 4,113 yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions while leading the Jaguars to their first division title since 2017. But after signing a five-year, $275 million contract extension in June that briefly tied him for the title of the NFL’s highest-paid player, Lawrence made only 10 starts in an uneven season and dealt with a sprained AC joint before landing on injured reserve with a concussion.

The defense, meanwhile, ranked 31st in yards allowed per game (389.9) despite bringing in new coordinator Ryan Nielsen this offseason.

At the trade deadline, the Jaguars opted to trade left tackle Cam Robinson, who had been the franchise’s longest-tenured player, to the Minnesota Vikings for a conditional Day 3 draft pick.

This story has been updated with new information.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson ‘had a setback’ in his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, general manager Andrew Berry revealed Monday.

Berry said it’s still too early in the recovery period from Watson’s Oct. 25 tendon repair surgery to determine if it will impact his availability for the start of the 2025 season.

‘We don’t have all the details and everything yet, but it will obviously extend the recovery process for him,’ Berry told reporters during Monday’s press conference.

Watson, who still has $92 million remaining on a five-year, $250 million contract he signed in 2022, tore his Achilles in the second quarter of Cleveland’s Week 7 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. 

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In his seven games as the starter this season, the Browns went 1-6, with Watson completing 63.4% of his passes with five touchdowns and three interceptions.

He has played in just 19 games for the Browns since being acquired in a trade from the Houston Texans and signing the fully guaranteed deal.

He missed 11 games last season because of multiple shoulder injuries and was suspended 11 games in 2022 for NFL personal conduct policy violations in connection with more than two dozen lawsuits by women in the Houston area alleging sexual assault and/or sexual misconduct during massage appointments.

After finishing 3-14 this season with quarterbacks Jameis Winston, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe all getting starts, the Browns will have the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft.