Minnesota Vikings receive zero compensatory picks ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft

It's not fun when a team loses a big name in free agency, but at least there's a chance to mitigate the loss, somewhat, thanks to the NFL's compensatory draft pick system.

How the actual system works is unknown, but the method of determining which teams receive what picks essentially boils down to as such: The bigger the contract signed by the departed player, the higher the draft pick, but teams will never receive anything higher than a third-rounder. But, the picks are cancelled out once teams sign a player, or players, in free agency. The NFL awards 32 picks, in all, each year and teams are given no more than four picks, apiece.

Nowadays, teams are also awarded third-round compensatory selections for two years if they lose a minority coach or executive to a promotion with another team. And, they receive individual picks for each coach/executive, like the San Francisco 49ers and DeMeco Ryans and Ran Carthon.

Unfortunately, the Minnesota Vikings won't receive any compensatory picks in 2024. The Vikings did lose Dalvin Tomlinson and Patrick Peterson in 2023 free agency, but the bad decision to sign Marcus Davenport took out a fourth-round comp pick. The addition of Byron Murphy Jr., who was much better than Davenport, took out a shot at a fifth-rounder. Then, the other additions of Dean Lowry and Josh Oliver officially sealed the deal. 

If the Vikings lose Kirk Cousins, they'll definitely be in line for a third-round comp pick, next year, but whether or not they receive the pick depends on how active they are in free agency. And with needs on both sides of the ball, it's easy to see the Vikes not only missing out on that third-rounder, but back in this overall spot, again, next year.