Compensatory Picks

Compensatory Picks were awarded to half of the teams in the league yesterday.

Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks. The number of picks a team receives equals  the net loss of compensatory free agents up to a maximum of four. Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. This formula is kept secret but some have become pretty adept at predicting the outcome. Which is actually pretty remarkable seeing as the awarding of compensatory picks frequently makes little sense. A total of 32 compensatory picks are awarded each year. The picks are at the end of rounds 3-7. Some years some teams are awarded picks despite not suffering a net loss of free agents the year before. This is done in order to fill out the 32 available picks. This year the Indianapolis Colts and New York Giants were each awarded a pick to make it 32. The decision makers decided that those two teams lost better free agents than they added.

This year the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens were each awarded the maximum four picks. The Ravens will likely be in the same boat next year. Successful teams are routinely raided. The San Francisco 49ers and Tennessee Titans each received three. The Cincinnati Bengals, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, and Seattle Seahawks each were given two selections. The Green Bay Packers, Indianapolis Colts, New York Giants, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, and Pittsburgh Steelers each received one pick.

I have a few problems with the compensatory pick process. First of all, I don't think that the new salary of the free agent should be a factor. Too often the contracts signed as a result of these bidding wars have little to do with the player's ability. It has even less to do with how the players often play after signing that huge contract. The 49ers receiving three picks is a perfect example of this issue that I have with the process. The 49ers lost special teams player Blake Costanzo, safety Madieu Williams and Joshua Morgan. They signed only Mario Manningham. The 49ers compensation is mostly due to the Washington Redskins overpaying for Morgan and Williams. In my opinion, Manningham and Morgan are a push. Their performance during the season were pretty even. The Redskins are more deserving of compensation for signing Williams than the 49ers are for losing him. Second of all, I don't think that the league should have to award 32 picks. If the free agent losses of all the teams total 10 picks, award 10 picks.

16 teams got a nice little gift yesterday. Most deserved it.