NEWSLETTER
The NFL announced that 32 compensatory picks will be distributed to 16 teams on Friday, which has some relevance to the Chicago Bears even though the team will not receive a pick for the eighth straight year.
NFL awarded compensatory draft picks early this year. Here's the full list of extra picks for teams: pic.twitter.com/0SAAd7qet2
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 24, 2017
By adding 32 picks, the NFL essentially adds another round to the draft.
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Eleven compensatory picks were handed out for the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, which moves the Bears’ fourth-round selection back a few slots. This means the Bears’ two fourth round selections have slid down a notch to No. 111 and No. 117. As a point of comparison, only four third-round compensatory picks were given out in 2016.
There is no change to the first or second rounds, which means the Bears have the the 3rd, 36th, 67th, 111th, 117th, 147th, and 221st picks in April’s NFL Draft. Of course, things can change when the new league year begins in March.
Picks are handed out in rounds three through seven and are based on the value of the compensatory free agent that was lost in the process. If a team loses more players in free agency than adds, the team is more likely to gain a compensatory pick. The Broncos, Bengals, Browns, and Chiefs led the way with four compensatory picks, while the Packers were the only NFC North team to receive a pick – but they will get theirs in the fifth round.
It was unlikely the Bears were going to receive compensatory picks based on their free agent signings in 2016, and likely won’t be getting any next season because of how the team is expected to spend in free agency again.
The Bears have received only 17 compensatory picks since 1994, which is tied for the sixth fewest in the league. The Ravens (48) and Packers (38) top the list.
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