Packer Central

Here’s Latest on Packers’ Free Agent Compensatory Draft Picks for 2026

Four minus two equals one. That’s the math for the Green Bay Packers for 2026 compensatory draft picks.
Bill Huber|
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst
Green Bay Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst | Tork Mason / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers, who have lost four players in free agency while signing two, are in line to get one compensatory draft pick in 2026.

Just like in the 2025 NFL Draft, when the Packers will get a bonus seventh-round pick after Yosh Nijman signed with the Carolina Panthers, OverTheCap.com’s Nick Korte projects the Packers will receive a seventh-round pick for losing center Josh Myers to the New York Jets.

Myers, who started 50 of 51 games the past three seasons, probably would have to remain a starter for the Packers to get the pick, Korte said.

Myers agreed to a one-year contract worth $3.5 million on Wednesday to sign with the Jets, who also signed Justin Fields – Myers’ quarterback at Ohio State.

The Packers lost defensive tackle TJ Slaton, who started 17 games each of the last two seasons, and cornerback Eric Stokes, who started seven of 17 games in 2024 after missing most of 2023 due to injuries. The Bengals gave Slaton a two-year contract worth $14.1 million, an average of $7.05 million per season. The Raiders gave Stokes a one-year contract worth $4 million.

Running back AJ Dillon is the fourth free agent lost by the Packers. The Eagles handed him a one-year contract; details are not available but it almost certainly will be worth the league minimum – or close to it – and will not factor in the compensatory-pick formula.

Slaton would have been worth a sixth-round pick and Stokes a seventh-round pick, according to OTC, but those were canceled out by the big-splash signings of guard Aaron Banks (four years, $77 million) and Nate Hobbs (four years, $48 million).

Depending on the size of the contract, the Packers would lose the Myers pick if they dive back into free agency.

In the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings are set to gain a third-round pick for quarterback Sam Darnold. At that level of compensation, the Vikings might sit out the rest of free agency. The Chicago Bears are not in line to be awarded any picks, subject to change, obviously, based on how the rest of free agency shakes out.

The Detroit Lions will receive a third-round pick – not for losing a player but for defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn becoming coach of the Jets.

Of note, street free agents do not factor in the equation. That means, if the Packers release cornerback Jaire Alexander rather than trade him, they will not receive a compensatory pick.

Compensatory picks are awarded by the NFL based on a formula that leans heavily toward average annual compensation. Playing time is an important secondary factor. Teams that lose more and better free agents than they lose are in line to receive a compensatory pick.

The San Francisco 49ers are slated to be a big beneficiary next offseason, with fourth-round picks projected for losing Banks to the Packers, cornerback Charvarius Ward to the Colts and safety Talanoa Hufanga to the Broncos.

The Philadelphia Eagles are in line for three picks, including a third-rounder for defensive tackle Milton Williams and a fourth-rounder for pass rusher Josh Sweat.

Teams can be awarded up to four compensatory picks. The Pittsburgh Steelers are at that level with one pick in the third round (left tackle Dan Moore), fourth round (quarterback Justin Fields) and sixth round (guard James Daniels and cornerback Donte Jackson).

The Packers have been one of the NFL’s prime beneficiaries from compensatory picks. From 1994 through 2025, the Ravens have gained a league-high 60 compensatory picks, followed by the Cowboys with 58 and the Packers with 53.

Standout right tackle Zach Tom was a fourth-round compensatory pick, as were Josh Sitton, Mike Daniels, Blake Martinez and Dean Lowry as fourth-round hits. Aaron Jones was the best of the fifth-rounders. Center Scott Wells was a standout selected in the seventh round.

Last year, the Packers had compensatory picks in the fifth and seventh rounds, which were used on safety Kitan Oladapo and cornerback Kalen King, respectively.

Click here for OTC’s full rundown of compensatory picks.

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Bill Huber
BILL HUBER

Bill Huber, who has covered the Green Bay Packers since 2008, is the publisher of Packers On SI, a Sports Illustrated channel. E-mail: packwriter2002@yahoo.com History: Huber took over Packer Central in August 2019. Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillHuberNFL Background: Huber graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he played on the football team, in 1995. He worked in newspapers in Reedsburg, Wisconsin Dells and Shawano before working at The Green Bay News-Chronicle and Green Bay Press-Gazette from 1998 through 2008. With The News-Chronicle, he won several awards for his commentaries and page design. In 2008, he took over as editor of Packer Report Magazine, which was founded by Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Nitschke, and PackerReport.com. In 2019, he took over the new Sports Illustrated site Packer Central, which he has grown into one of the largest sites in the Sports Illustrated Media Group.