Bears Receive Compensatory Pick for Losing Adrian Amos
The NFL has officially awarded the Bears a fourth-round compensatory draft pick, No. 140 overall.
It's been expected since they cut running back Mike Davis last season that there would be a pick given to them in Round 4, but the exact spot in the draft wasn't known.
The Bears haven't had a compensatory pick since 2009, which only goes to underscore how poorly they've drafted. To get compensatory picks, a team needs to lose players in free agency. The Bears haven't had many draft picks come in and leave for other teams as free agents in the last decade.
The pick given to the Bears is relatively high in Round 4. It's the second compensatory pick for Round 4. There were 10 compensatory picks awarded after Round 3.
The NFL protects its system for determining the compensatory picks like it was a national secret, but it was expected the Bears would receive a comp pick when they lost Adrian Amos to Green Bay in free agency.
The signing of Davis would have countered the loss from Amos leaving in this undefined system, but then the Bears cut Davis Nov. 9 just before the deadline used for considering a team for compensatory picks. The Bears then went with Ryan Nall as their backup running back the remainder of the season.
This is a late date for the NFL to announce these picks. Normally it's been in the final two weeks of February. The debate over the CBA likely has caused a delay in this.
In all, there were 32 picks awarded. The Bucs will get a fourth-round compensatory pick ahead of the Bears. Six teams received fourth-round compensatory picks after the Bears.
The Bears' draft now consists of: Pick Nos. 43 and 50 in Round 2; No. 140 in Round 4; No. 159 in Round 5 from Las Vegas in the trade for Khalil Mack; No. 163 in Round 5; No. 196 in Round 6; No. 200 in Round 6 from the Eagles for Jordan Howard; No. 233 in Round 7.
The Bears were given three compensatory picks in 2009 when they last received any, and used them to take wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias in Round 3, and guard Lance Louis and receiver Derek Kinder in Round 7. Iglesias played in one NFL game and never caught a pass. Kinder never made the team.
Louis actually played five NFL seasons, including three for the Bears. He started 38 NFL games, including 28 for the Bears at guard and tackle.
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