Getting Draft Ready -- Compensatory Picks

The National Football League has announced that the Pittsburgh Steelers will receive an extra fourth round pick and an additional fifth round pick as compensation for the loss during the 2006 offseason of free agents Chris Hope and Antwaan Randle-El.

According to a press release from the NFL the "NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement [provides that] a team losing more or better . . . free agents than it acquires in a year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks." Additionally, the "number of picks a team receives equals the net loss of compensatory free agents." The release goes on to state that "[c]ompensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors."

For the Steelers the losses of Mr. Hope and Mr. Randle-El is offset by the acquisition of free agent Ryan Clark.

The fourth round choice will be pick number 132 of the draft (and the thirty-third of that round), while the fifth round pick will be choice 170 of the draft (and will also be the thirty-third of that round).

The NFL Draft will be held April 28th and 29th.