One of the NFL's longest streaks is officially broken: the Jacksonville Jaguars have a compensatory draft pick.
Actually, they have two. After going 13 drafts without a compensatory pick, the Jaguars have been awarded a third-round (No. 96) and a sixth-round (No. 212) compensatory pick. These picks were awarded to them after Jawaan Taylor and Arden Key left in free agency a year ago.
The last time the Jaguars received such a draft pick was when they were awarded a sixth-round pick in 2010. Since then, the Jaguars have seen other clubs reap the benefits of the comp pick formula.
Now, though, the Jaguars have added to their collection of picks. The Jaguars now hold nine picks in the 2024 NFL Draft, with at least one pick in each round. And considering their original third-round pick is currently owned by the Atlanta Falcons after the Calvin Ridley trade, the extra compensatory picks come at just the right time.
"Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents (“CFA”) than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks. The compensatory picks will be positioned within the third through seventh rounds based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost," the NFL said in a release.
"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. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. Clubs that suffer a net loss of CFAs during the prior free agent signing period are eligible to receive a corresponding number of compensatory selections. In addition, a club that lost the same number of CFAs that it gained (no net loss), may be eligible to receive a selection at the end of round seven based on the value of the CFAs lost versus the value of the CFAs gained. No club may receive more than four compensatory picks in any one year. If a club qualifies for more than four compensatory picks after offsetting each CFA lost by each CFA gained of an equal or higher value, the four highest remaining selections will be awarded to the club.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement limits the number of compensatory selections to the number of clubs then in the League (32). This year, three clubs, the Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and Jacksonville Jaguars qualified for a compensatory selection under the net loss formula but will not receive that pick because the final numerical value of the CFA who was lost ranked 33rd or lower among the final numerical values of all compensatory selections. Each of those clubs will receive compensatory selections for other CFAs lost whose final numerical value ranked within the top 32."
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