The Ravens have scored big with compensatory picks once again.
Baltimore has been awarded two compensatory picks – one in the third round and another in the fourth – in the 2020 NFL Draft. That bolsters their stockpile of picks to nine, and the can all be traded to help the Ravens maneuver around the board.
The compensatory picks are the last pick in the third round (No. 106 overall) and No. 143 overall in the fourth round.
There was a chance that the compensatory pick for linebacker C.J. Mosley, who signed a massive five-year deal with an average $17 million salary with the New York Jets, would fall into the fourth round because Mosley only played in two games (groin injury) last season. However, Mosley was still deemed a big enough loss to still warrant a third-round selection. The fourth-rounder came from the loss of wide receiver John Brown last offseason.
The loss of Za'Darius Smith was balanced out by the addition of Earl Thomas and the signing of Mark Ingram II canceled out the departure of Terrell Suggs.
Baltimore is the king of compensatory picks, compiling the most in the league (52) since the system began in 1994. Keep in mind that the Ravens didn't even exist for two of those years. The next closest teams are the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots (43).
Just as Executive Vice President Ozzie Newsome did before, General Manager Eric DeCosta was precise in his offseason maneuvers last year to make sure the Ravens were awarded the maximum compensatory picks.
The Ravens released special teams ace Justin Bethel midway through the year to preserve a pick when Brent Urban, another exit last offseason, was released by the Tennessee Titans.
Baltimore is well-stocked with picks for the 2020 Draft, and they're all tradeable. The Ravens got a fourth-round pick from trading Jermaine Eluemunor to the Patriots, a fifth-round pick from trading kicker/punter Kaare Vedvik to the Vikings, and a seventh-round pick from trading Alex Lewis to the Jets.
The Ravens didn't have a second-round pick last year after trading it to move up and grab Lamar Jackson in 2018. In this year's draft, Baltimore will have a whopping seven picks in the first four rounds.
Compensatory picks are awarded to teams who lose players as unrestricted free agents. 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. To determine "better" free agents, the council looks at average salaries, playing time and postseason awards.
