NFL draft scenarios entering Week 18: Seattle Seahawks have a lot to lose with a win

Seattle Seahawks fans have a bit of a catch-22 this weekend. Most 12s never hope the Seahawks lose. Plus, in Week 18, Seattle could theoretically could make the playoffs if they win and the Green Bay Packers lose. Now, whether Seattle can come close to winning a game against another playoff team is another question.

In terms of where Seattle would make their first choice in the 2024 NFL Draft, that gets crazier than Seattle's path to the playoffs. That part is easy. But depending on if Seattle wins or loses in Week 18 (along with what other teams do on Sunday), their draft position could swing anywhere from the top ten to pick 19 or after.

The biggest reason for such a swing is that Seattle has played a relatively tough schedule and strength of schedule works as a tie-breaker. If Seattle wins and makes the playoffs, they could choose as late as pick 21. If Seattle wins and doesn't make the postseason (as the Packers would also win their game against the Chicago Bears), the Seahawks would probably choose at pick 16 or 17.

Seattle Seahawks could get close to the top ten of the 2024 NFL draft with a Week 18 loss

Should Seattle lose to the Cardinals, the craziness starts. Because of Seattle's strength of schedule, the Seahawks could potentially slide up to pick 10 or 11. We still have to see what will happen with the mess in the NFC South as the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still fighting it out for the division crown. But the Seahawks will have a better strength of schedule than most of the other teams who could finish 8-9 of which there are 10 of them. Mediocrity rules in the NFL in 2023.

Long story even longer, if Seattle wins in Week 18, great. Most 12s want the Seahawks to always win, right? But if they do they will hurt the draft status.

Should Seattle lose, there is a likelihood of Seattle drafting near the top ten. In which case, they might have a chance a high-end future QB1. Or a defensive tackle. Or, this being the Seahawks, they might just trade back.

Read more from 12th Man Rising