2026 NFL Draft compensatory picks: Ravens, Eagles, Steelers lead with four apiece
Nearly half of the league qualified for at least one compensatory pick
There will be 33 compensatory picks in the 2026 NFL Draft after the league announced Monday the picks granted to 15 teams. The Baltimore Ravens, Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers share the lead for the most picks with four apiece -- the maximum allowed per team.
The Ravens' four compensatory picks give them 64 since 1994, which ranks as the most of any team.
The Minnesota Vikings will make the first compensatory pick at No. 97 overall, and the Denver Broncos will close things out in the seventh round with consecutive picks at Nos. 256 and 257.
Four teams received third-round compensatory picks. The Vikings' No. 97 overall pick is the first of that group, and the Eagles, Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars will follow. The Jaguars received that pick via the Detroit Lions, who were eligible because they lost former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn when he became the head coach of the New York Jets. The NFL grants compensatory picks to teams that have a minority employee hired as a head coach or primary football executive by another club.
While the Chicago Bears filed an appeal to receive a pick under that rule, the NFL determined that Ian Cunningham leaving for the Atlanta Falcons' general manager job did not qualify them for compensation because he is not a primary executive. Cunningham is instead a secondary executive who reports to president of football Matt Ryan.
The Vikings, Eagles and Steelers got their third-round compensatory picks as a result of the departures of Sam Darnold, Milton Williams and Dan Moore Jr., respectively.
Teams that suffer a net loss of compensatory free agents during a given period are eligible to earn compensatory draft picks the following year. Teams are also eligible for seventh-round picks if the net value of their compensatory free agent departures is greater than that of which they added. Of this year's 33 picks, 32 were granted for those reasons.
2026 NFL Draft compensatory picks by team
| Team | Pick(s) |
|---|---|
Minnesota Vikings | No. 97 (R3) |
Philadelphia Eagles | No. 98 (R3), No. 137 (R4), No. 178 (R5), No. 215 (R5) |
Pittsburgh Steelers | No. 99 (R3), No. 135 (R4), No. 214 (R6), No. 216 (R6) |
Jacksonville Jaguars | No. 100 (R3) |
No. 133 (R4), No. 138 (R4), No. 139 (R4) | |
No. 134 (R4), No. 175 (R5) | |
No. 136 (R4) | |
New York Jets | No. 140 (R4), No. 179 (R5) |
Baltimore Ravens | No. 173 (R5), No. 174 (R5), No. 250 (R7), No. 253 (R7) |
No. 176 (R5) | |
No. 177 (R5), No. 180 (R5) | |
Detroit Lions | No. 181 (R5) |
No. 249 (R7), No. 254 (R7) | |
No. 251 (R7), No. 252 (R7) | |
No. 255 (R7) | |
| Denver Broncos | No. 256 (R7), No. 257 (R7) |
