The Ravens are suddenly rich with draft picks.
Baltimore was awarded three compensatory picks Friday, bumping their total to nine selections.
The Ravens received two compensatory picks in the fourth round (Nos. 132 and 134) and one in the sixth round (No. 209)
Baltimore didn’t get the fourth (and maximum amount) of compensatory picks, but it’s still a nice haul.
The Ravens were awarded the picks because unrestricted free agent wide receiver Torrey Smith (49ers), linebacker Pernell McPhee (Bears), tight end Owen Daniels (Broncos) and safety Darian Stewart signed with other teams last offseason. The signing of safety Kendrick Lewis
offset one of those losses.
The Ravens didn’t end up getting a pick for the loss of quarterback Tyrod Taylor (Bills). He started 14 games, but didn’t sign a big enough deal (three years, $3.35 million) to qualify. The NFL only gave 33 compensatory picks and Taylor fell below the line.
Baltimore still leads the league in compensatory picks since the program was launched in 1994. The Ravens have now been given 47. The closest teams are Green Bay (37) and Dallas (37).
This year, the Cowboys, Patriots and 49ers were the only team to get the maximum of four compensatory picks.
The Ravens have put their additional picks to good use. Recent standout players that have been selected with compensatory picks include punter Sam Koch , fullback Le'Ron McClain, outside linebacker Pernell McPhee, fullback Kyle Juszczyk , tackle Rick Wagner , tight end Crockett Gillmore and offensive lineman John Urschel .
Much of Baltimore’s free-agency strategy is based on acquiring compensatory picks.
While the Ravens don’t like to see their own players sign elsewhere, the pain is eased the next year when it results in extra draft picks. The Ravens specifically try to avoid signing free agents that haven’t been cut by other teams because they factor against the compensatory pick formula.
Over the past six years, General Manager Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens have only signed five unrestricted free agents that hadn’t been released by their previous team.
According to the NFL Management Council, a team losing more or better free agents than it acquired in the previous year is eligible to receive picks. The number of picks a team receives equals the net loss of free agents.
To determine "better" free agents, the council looks at average salaries, playing time and postseason awards. Salaries make up the biggest portion of that equation.
Compensatory picks will not be tradeable until the 2017 NFL Draft, so the Ravens are locked into making picks at those spots.
