I remember someone on the site asking about the possibility of the Skins getting extra draft picks for this years draft? Rich Tandler to the rescue.
A basic explanation of the formula is all but impossible. This is because no one outside the NFL really knows the rules/regulations that formulate the NFL's giving out of compensatory picks. Tandler does his best:
We do know that it's based on the net value of unrestricted free agents lost and free agents signed during the previous offseason. That net value is determined by three factors: the value of the contract signed, the amount of playing time the player got, and the player's postseason awards.
He even suggests that the Skins might get as high as one in the third round, as well as some (two maybe) after the 7th round. So for you mathletes, that would be a combined total of 9 picks in this years draft (minus the 4th rounder for the T.J. Duckett trade.) That's a lot of picks.
The players that qualify are Derrick Dockery, Duckett, Warrick Holdman and Kenny freaking Wright (how did he qualify?) with the only one coming in to the organization being London Fletcher.
More from Tandler (bold mine for emphasis):
The official announcement of the compensatory picks will be made at the owners' meeting in late March.
So, that means that even if the Front Office All Stars start getting trade happy, they would still have at least three draft picks.
The way this offseason is going, combined with last year's results, it seems (and I stress the only seeming and unproven nature of it) that the team has shifted the way it acquires players. I'm all for it and I hope it is a change in philosophy and not just a response to having little to no money to work with under the cap.
Anyway, your turn. Good, bad, indifferent? How does this change the draft needs/targets for the team?
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In something unrelated, some more news on the Sean Taylor investigation. Apparently, an unwitting mother rented the car that was used in the murder for her daughter to attend a football game. Full story here and feel free to discuss.