Seahawks, again, projected to have zero compensatory picks in 2024 NFL Draft

Why yes, the 2023 NFL Draft just completed but we might as well have a glimpse at next year’s draft in Detroit.

OverTheCap has done the data crunching and based off of their tables, the Seattle Seahawks will not have any compensatory picks next year. Their only qualifying compensatory free agent lost was Cody Barton, who was cancelled out by the signing of Devin Bush. Seattle also signed Julian Love, Dre’Mont Jones, and Jarran Reed to make it 4 CFAs gained to just a single CFA lost. Travis Homer, Rashaad Penny, Marquise Goodwin, and Jonathan Abram did not count towards the formula.

Here’s the explainer via NFL.com on CFAs:

So, how do compensatory picks work?

The number of compensatory picks allotted each year is limited to the number of teams in the league (32), per the collective bargaining agreement. However, compensatory picks are not divided up equally among the teams, and no team can receive more than four compensatory picks (in exchange for a player leaving) in a single year. To qualify for compensatory picks, teams must end up with more or better qualifying free agents lost than gained in a particular year.

Teams are awarded compensatory draft picks between Rounds 3 and 7 based upon a league formula that takes into account a player’s average salary per year (APY), snap count and postseason awards. While there is an expected level of compensation for a player based on the amount he has signed for, his playing time (or lack thereof) in the upcoming season could alter the expectation.

Teams can also receive third-round comp picks if a minority staff member is hired as a head coach or general manager, so essentially the only way the Seahawks get a comp pick is if, say, defensive coordinator Clint Hurtt is hired as a head coach.

It’s worth noting that Tuesday was the final day for free agents to count towards or against a team’s compensatory pick formula, at which point unrestricted free agents become plain ol’ free agents. This is relevant only because of the reported Poona Ford signing by the Buffalo Bills, although financial details of that contract haven’t yet been revealed. Even if you added Ford, the numbers still tilt against Seattle.

The Seahawks haven’t exactly had too many notable/qualifying free agents leave in recent years, so this is not shocking. You have to go back to 2020 for the last time the Seahawks received comp picks, and that was for losing Earl Thomas (third-round comp), Justin Coleman (fourth-round comp), and Shamar Stephen (sixth-round comp) in free agency.

This is just a heads up well in advance when the comp picks are officially awarded roughly 10 months from now.