The list of free-agent departures suffered by the Los Angeles Rams this offseason is reminiscent of a CVS receipt. Their biggest losses were John Johnson, Troy Hill, Austin Blythe, Gerald Everett and Samson Ebukam, all of whom were starters in 2020. Josh Reynolds, Morgan Fox and Malcolm Brown also left as free agents.
But fortunately for the Rams, they’ll be compensated for their free-agent losses in next year’s draft. Thanks to the NFL’s compensatory pick system, the Rams will receive a handful of selections in the 2022 draft based on the value of the contracts signed by their free agents this offseason.
The deadline for free agents to count toward the compensatory pick formula passed on Monday afternoon, which means any players signed by the Rams (or the other 31 teams) will dock them a comp pick, no matter the value of the contract.
According to Over The Cap, the Rams are projected to receive four compensatory picks for their free-agent losses.
- 4th-round pick for John Johnson
- 6th-round pick for Samson Ebukam
- 6th-round pick for Gerald Everett
- 6th-round pick for Troy Hill
In addition to those four picks, the Rams will also receive another one for Brad Holmes being hired as the Lions’ new general manager. The NFL introduced a new incentive for teams developing minority front office and coaching candidates, rewarding them with a third-round compensatory pick in consecutive years; the Rams got pick 103 this year for losing Holmes and will also get another third in 2022.
Those picks are counted separately from the traditional compensatory picks, according to Over The Cap
So in total, the Rams stand to add five picks in next year’s draft, though they probably would’ve liked for their compensatory selections to come a bit earlier than the three sixth-rounders will.
