It’s been a long time coming for the Chicago Bears, who are finally set to receive a compensatory selection in the NFL Draft.
Here is the full list from NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero:
The full list of compensatory picks in the 2020 NFL Draft: pic.twitter.com/QKADDS4yPu
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 10, 2020
And here’s how it happened:
If you’re wondering about comp pick specifics, here is the breakdown of what teams lost and gained. pic.twitter.com/jtQf7c7sqQ
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 10, 2020
The Bears’ compensatory draft pick is set to come in pick No. 34 in the fourth round — or to put it differently, the 140th selection overall. This represents the first time Chicago has received a compensatory pick in 10 years, and just their 18th since 1994. That’s a long time to go without getting such a pick. This is certainly a great time for it, too. The Bears could use as much draft capital they can get their hands on entering the 2020 calendar year.
Chicago now has eight (8!) draft picks at its disposal. Two in the second round (Nos. 43 and 50), the fourth-round compensatory selection (No. 140), a fifth-round pick (No. 164), two sixth-rounders (No. 197 and No. 201 via the Eagles that was acquired in the Jordan Howard trade), and two seventh-rounders (No. 227 from Las Vegas as part of the Khalil Mack trade and No .234). The Bears haven’t had this many picks since 2016, when the team had nine selections. Fitting enough, that class might be Ryan Pace’s best bunch. The group featured four starters (Leonard Floyd, Cody Whitehair, Nick Kwiatkoski, and Jordan Howard), a top reserve safety (Deon Bush), and a key special teams contributor (DeAndre Houston-Carson). It’s almost if good things can happen if you give yourself a bunch of swings.
Compensatory picks are given out based on a formula where teams losing more/better free agents than it acquires in the previous year, making those teams that fulfill the formula’s requirements to be eligible for additional selections. And to think, there was a time when the Bears weren’t in line to get one this offseason. But after releasing running back Mike Davis in the middle of the season, the Bears positioned themselves to get a pick.
See what happens when logic prevails?