Let's take a look at which teams are in contention to make the first pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, and how the rest of the early draft order is shaping up heading into Week 17.
Leaders of the pack
The game that will determine whether the Tennessee Titans get the first pick of the 2016 NFL Draft could feature a matchup between a quarterback who is 0-9 as a starter and a quarterback who has never taken an NFL snap.
Zach Mettenberger is 0-9 as an NFL starter and will likely be under center -- Marcus Mariota won't play as he recovers from a knee sprain -- when the Titans finish the season in Indianapolis on Sunday against a Colts team that must win to have any shot at the playoffs. The caveat here is that the Colts are so beat up at quarterback that Stephen Morris, who has never played in an NFL game, or Josh Freeman, whom the Colts signed on Tuesday, will likely be the signal-caller in this must-win game. Over their last three games, the Titans have averaged 10 points while allowing 32.3 points. I'm not sure the Colts' quarterback issues will even matter.
The Titans will secure the No. 1 overall pick with a loss.
The Cleveland Browns are currently slotted with the second pick of the draft due to a strength-of-schedule tiebreaker. They will take on a Pittsburgh Steelers team that can make it into the playoffs with a win and a Jets loss in Buffalo. Johnny Manziel has been feisty in his play lately and you just know that Browns fans would gladly give up the second pick of the draft for a chance to knock the hated Steelers out of the playoffs. Do they have enough ammo to do it? It's unlikely that they do.
The worst of the rest
The San Diego Chargers are currently slotted with the third pick of the draft and they're unlikely to close the season on a high note as they are headed to Denver for their final game. The Chargers made a good run at the Raiders before losing in overtime in Week 16, but it's highly unlikely that the Chargers will be able to match the intensity of the Broncos, who still have plenty to play for after clinching a playoff spot.
While I don't think the Dallas Cowboys, holders of the fourth overall pick, have quit on the season, the season has definitely quit on them. The Cowboys have averaged a little less than 10 points per game over their last three outings and I'm sure the players in the locker room want nothing more than to forget this miserable season. However, the Washington Redskins are locked into their playoff positioning, so it will be interesting to see if Jay Gruden rests some key starters and if that opens the door for a Dallas win.
There are three teams you don't want to face right now -- Arizona, Kansas City and St. Louis. Wait, what? OK, maybe I'm going a little overboard, but the St. Louis Rams have won three in a row and are coming off of a win in Seattle. The San Francisco 49ers, currently slotted for the fifth pick, have a winnable game in this spot against the Rams, but the Rams are clearly continuing to play hard for their head coach, Jeff Fisher, and quarterback Case Keenum. With a loss, the 49ers will likely finish with the fifth pick and would leapfrog the Cowboys in the order with a Dallas win. A win could cost the 49ers as many as a few spots in the order.
Follow Lance Zierlein on Twitter @LanceZierlein.
