As expected, when the NFL announced what teams will receive compensatory draft picks for the upcoming 2022 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills were not listed among those clubs earning compensatory picks.
The news is not shocking since the Bills picked up more players through free agency than they lost during the 2021 NFL free-agency period. The formula for determining the teams that receive compensatory draft picks incorporates a team’s free-agent losses compared to their gains in free agency, among other factors.
The window used for determining compensatory picks starts with the beginning of the new league year and ends in early May. Players who sign after that window closes don’t factor into the formula since they aren’t considered sought-after free agents. Additionally, the free agents can’t be released; they have to be on expiring contracts.
All told, the NFL announced there would be 39 total compensatory draft picks in 2022, with 16 different teams receiving a compensatory pick.
NFL’s 2022 compensatory draft picks: pic.twitter.com/63A2hcjufR
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2022
Last offseason, the Bills lost the following players on expiring contracts:
- TE Tyler Kroft
- OT Ty Nsekhe
- LB Del’Shawn Phillips
- KR Andre Roberts
- OG Brian Winters
The Bills also had the following qualifying signings during free agency:
- LB Tyrell Adams
- RB Matt Breida
- P Matt Haack
- TE Jacob Hollister
- DE Efe Obada
- QB Mitchell Trubisky
Add it all up and the Bills added six players and lost five, thus the reason for no compensatory picks. And for those wondering, free-agent signees like wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders and offensive lineman Bobby Hart don’t factor in since they were released by their previous team. Wide receiver/returner Brandon Powell doesn’t count, either, because he was an untendered Restricted Free Agent, and linebacker Marquel Lee was out of football during the 2020 season.
None of the AFC East teams were awarded a compensatory pick, while the Los Angeles Rams (five), San Francisco 49ers (five), and Los Angeles Chargers (four) earned the most compensatory picks.
This news means the 2022 NFL Draft order is officially set. The Bills have nine draft picks: their original selections in each of the seven rounds, plus two picks late in the draft as a result of trades.
- Round 1 – No. 25
- Round 2 – No. 57
- Round 3 – No. 89
- Round 4 – No. 130
- Round 5 – No. 168
- Round 6 – No. 185 (from Carolina) (Conditional)
- Round 6 – No. 203
- Round 7 – No. 231 (from Atlanta)
- Round 7 – No. 246
The Bills acquired the conditional sixth-rounder from the Carolina Panthers following the trade of defensive end Daryl Johnson, and the seventh rounder from the Atlanta Falcons in the trade for tight end Lee Smith.
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