Extra Pick Now But Won't Get One in 2022
The Bears finally received a break in compensatory free agency.
They didn't so much receive a compensatory pick as they simply didn't have one taken away.
The Bears were initially to receive two sixth-round compensatory picks in this draft. The compensatory picks system gives out 32 picks at the end of rounds starting in Round 3, based on a formula involving lost free agents by teams the previous spring.
So, the team with the 33rd greatest free agent loss according to this secretive NFL formula would get nothing in return under normal circumstances. The Bears didn't need to worry about that. Their second compensatory pick was No. 32. It was the last one.
There are also four picks given this year to the Saints, Ravens, Rams and 49ers for meeting an incentive introduced for minority hiring. So in actuality there were 36 picks being awarded.
While all seemed set, the New England Patriots pointed out to the league that they had been shorted. According to the formula, the Patriots should have received another fifth-round compensatory pick.
When that happened, the league looked into it, admitted its mistake and gave the Patriots their pick. However, that meant the Bears' 32nd position in the formula was now No. 33 and there were supposed to only be 32 picks awarded.
They were going to get squeezed out by Bill Belichick.
Ultimately, the NFL decided it wasn't fair to the Bears since the process had been initiated, the announcements made and planning for the draft was occurring. The NFLPA also had to sign off on this since it wasn't part of the CBA to allow this, but they decided to let the Bears keep that pick, the 228th overall.
This year, anyway, there will be 33 picks plus the four awarded for minority hiring.
Considering the Bears didn't meet the requirements for receiving a compensatory pick for about a decade before last year's draft, anything helps.
The Bears now have pick No. 20 in Round 1, they're at No. 52 in Round 2, No. 83 in Round 3, No. 164 in Round 5 and in Round 6 have the 204th and 208th picks. They also have compensatory picks at the end of Round 6 at Nos. 221 and No. 228.
The bad news on the compensatory front is that by signing Andy Dalton they have lost the compensatory pick for 2022 they were to receive for losing Roy Robertson-Harris. It probably would have been a fifth-round pick.
They'll receive no compensation for losing Kyle Fuller,because it wasn't a free agency loss—they cut him.
Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven
