NFL announces 39 compensatory draft picks, including two third-rounders for Saints
The NFL dealt out 39 compensatory picks for the 2022 NFL Draft on Tuesday, including a pair of third-round selections for the New Orleans Saints and four draft picks each for the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers.
Compensatory picks are awarded to teams that suffered net losses in free agency in the offseason prior. For example, the Green Bay Packers allowed center Corey Linsley and running back Jamaal Williams to walk into free agency and join the Chargers and Detroit Lions, respectively. With the Packers choosing not to sign any player until months after free agency began, the team was awarded fourth- and seventh-round picks Tuesday.
A key stipulation in the formula is that a player who was released doesn't result in a compensatory pick, so some players -- like offensive tackle Riley Reiff who was cut by the Minnesota Vikings and joined the Cincinnati Bengals -- didn't factor.
The Saints received one of their third-round picks thanks to Trey Hendrickson signing a four-year, $60 million deal with the Bengals and promptly earning Pro Bowl honors. The other third-rounder came from a 2020 amendment to the collective bargaining agreement that awarded a pick to any team that loses a minority employee who becomes a head coach or general manager elsewhere. The Atlanta Falcons hired former Saints vice president of player personnel Terry Fontenot last offseason.
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