A Refresher on Compensatory Picks…

I’ve been getting questions about Compensatory picks; how they’re awarded, how the league determines who gets what, which rounds they’re awarded in, etc…

So here’s a brief summary that I hope makes some sense:

Every year 32 Compensatory Picks are handed out in the draft.

The Compensatory Picks are awarded based on net player value lost in Free Agency. Placement of the picks is determined by a few different factors. The NFL does not disclose it’s exact formula for determining whether a team lost more value or better players to FA than they gained during the FA period. We do know, however, that the departing player’s salary has the biggest impact on pick placement. Other factors include playing time and post-season accolades achieved with his new team.

Typically, if you lose and gain the same number of players in FA, you won’t be awarded any Compensatory picks the following year unless you lost higher value than you gained (i.e. lose a $5M salaried player, and gained a $1.8M salaried player). Those picks however, can only be in the 7th round.

Assuming the league doesn’t hand out the alloted 32 Compensatory picks, the left over picks will be handed out in the order that a hypothetical “8th Round” would be conducted.

Make sense?

A few other notes about Compensatory Picks….they can be in any of rounds 3 thru 7, but never higher than the 3rd round. Also, they’re always placed at the end of their respective rounds. No team can receive more than 4 total Compensatory picks per year.