Updates

The NFL announced a total of 37 compensatory draft selections in the 2023 NFL Draft have been awarded to 16 teams. 

Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents (“CFA”) than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.

The compensatory picks will be positioned within the third through seventh rounds based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost.

Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. Clubs that suffer a net loss of CFAs during the prior free agent signing period are eligible to receive a corresponding number of compensatory selections. In addition, a club that lost the same number of CFAs that it gained (no net loss), may be eligible to receive a selection at the end of round seven based on the value of the CFAs lost versus the value of the CFAs gained. No club may receive more than four compensatory picks in any one year. If a club qualifies for more than four compensatory picks after offsetting each CFA lost by each CFA gained of an equal or higher value, the four highest remaining selections will be awarded to the club.  

The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates that, if in any league year, the number of compensatory selections awarded is less than the number of clubs then in the league (32), an additional number of selection choices shall be awarded to clubs based upon draft selection order (“supplemental selections”). This year, 30 compensatory selections were awarded to 13 clubs based upon the netting formula described above. Two clubs, Chicago and Houston, will be awarded supplemental selections.

In addition to the 30 compensatory selections awarded under the net loss formula and the two supplemental selections, five special compensatory selections were awarded to three clubs: the Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers (three special compensatory selections), and Kansas City Chiefs under a 2020 amendment to the league’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was agreed upon by the NFL and the NFLPA to promote equal employment opportunities and an inclusive workforce within NFL clubs. This initiative provides that the prior employer-club of a minority employee who has been hired by another club as its head coach or primary football executive (general manager) will receive compensation in the form of a special compensatory draft selection in the third round of each of the next two drafts, or in each of the next three drafts if two minority employees from the employer-club are hired for these positions by another club or clubs. Special compensatory selections are awarded in draft selection order after all other compensatory selections in round three and are denoted with an asterisk in the following table. 

The following 2023 compensatory draft picks have been awarded for the 2023 NFL Draft, which will be held from April 27-29 in Kansas City:

The compensatory free agents lost and gained in 2022 by the clubs that will receive compensatory picks in the 2023 Draft:

2023 NFL COMPENSATORY DRAFT PICKS*

*Does not include special compensatory selections

SUMMARY OF COMPENSATORY DRAFT PICKS, 1994-2023*

*Does not include special compensatory selections