Jaguars finally set to benefit from NFL's compensatory picks rule
Death, taxes, and the Jacksonville Jaguars getting no compensatory picks in the NFL Draft. Jags fans have been used to that reality for 13 years as their favorite team hasn't had important player losses in recent history because, well… they haven't been very good in the first place. That's set to change next year following […]
Death, taxes, and the Jacksonville Jaguars getting no compensatory picks in the NFL Draft.
Jags fans have been used to that reality for 13 years as their favorite team hasn't had important player losses in recent history because, well… they haven't been very good in the first place.
That's set to change next year following key losses in 2023.
Before we dive any further into the Jaguars' current situation, a quick refresher crash course is in order.
The NFL has a highly important mechanism that teams never lose sight of when making important team-building decisions. In essence, it awards compensatory picks to those teams who suffer "net losses" in free agency.
In other words, if a team loses more "compensatory free agents" (i.e. players who got paid within the top 35% of all NFL players) than it signed, the league will make it up with compensatory picks.
For years and years, the Jaguars didn't send good enough players into free agency for them to receive that compensation.
2024 will be different, however. The team lost RT Jawaan Taylor and EDGE Arden Key, two free agents that should be expected to trigger the formula in Jacksonville's formula considering the team didn't make any compensatory free agent-caliber signing.
Per NFL.com's analyst Lance Zierlein, the Jaguars are projected to receive two compensatory selections in 2024: A third-rounder and a sixth-rounder. Those won't become official until next year.
While it might not sound like much, it could mean a potential four Top 100 selections when the time comes next year. Or it could represent an opportunity for Jaguars general manager Trent Baalke to finally find that trade-up opportunity he was looking for in the 2023 NFL Draft to no avail.
