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2022 NFL Draft: Saints, 49ers big winners of compensatory picks

By Sayre Bedinger

Dec 2, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Executive vice president and General manager of the New Orleans Saints Mickey Loomis shares a moment with the owner of the Dallas Cowboys Jerry jones during warmups at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 2, 2021; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Executive vice president and General manager of the New Orleans Saints Mickey Loomis shares a moment with the owner of the Dallas Cowboys Jerry jones during warmups at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports /
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The New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers were big winners as the NFL handed out compensatory picks for the 2022 NFL Draft.

The New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers were among the big winners as the NFL announced compensatory picks for the 2022 NFL Draft.

The compensatory pick formula for the NFL Draft is somewhat complicated, though some have figured it out to the point where most of them can be accurately projected. In other ways, the compensatory pick formula is very easy. NFL teams who have minority coaches or executives hired away by other teams as head coaches or general managers are awarded multiple third-round compensatory picks.

The Saints and 49ers are both benefitting from that new policy this year, as are the Los Angeles Rams for the Detroit Lions’ hire last offseason of Brad Holmes as general manager.

NFL Draft order gets shaken up a bit by Compensatory Picks

As you can see here, the Saints and 49ers each added a pair of third-round compensatory picks. New Orleans almost managed to get two picks inside the top 100, which could be huge for general manager Mickey Loomis as he and the Saints are apparently interested in making a deal for Deshaun Watson, should Watson pick the Saints.

Here is the breakdown of compensatory picks by team and what each pick accounts for in the formula:

As a reminder, all compensatory selections are now eligible to be traded. That wasn’t always the case and it was a ridiculous rule by the NFL. These picks can be used as currency just like any other draft choices can be, and not only that, but it’s clear that teams have started anticipating these picks when making other trades throughout the season or offseason.

For example, the Los Angeles Rams undoubtedly knew that these picks were coming when they made the Von Miller trade for a second and third-round pick.

They knew they were going to quickly recoup that third-round pick, so that was a trade they were confident making.

The Detroit Lions can’t be overlooked as a winner in all of this either as they were awarded the highest 2022 compensatory pick in the NFL Draft, pick 97 overall.

As of right now, the San Francisco 49ers also own the final pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, which will give them this year’s Mr. Irrelevant pick.

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