The Arizona Cardinals did not receive a compensatory draft pick this year. Teams are compensated with extra draft picks when they lose free agents to other teams and those losses outweigh the free agents they add themselves from other teams.
Based on how things look right now, the Cardinals not only will get a compensatory pick next year, they are on track to land three.
According to projections from Over the Cap, they are on track to get a compensatory fifth-round pick and a pair in the seventh round.
The following graphic illustrates why.
They have lost five compensatory free agents — cornerback Patrick Peterson, linebacker Haason Reddick, running back Kenyan Drake, defensive lineman Angelo Blackson and tight end Dan Arnold.
They signed two compensatory free agents — receiver A.J. Green and kicker Matt Prater.
They have added a others in free agency like offensive lineman Brian Winters and safety Shawn Williams, but both those deals were for the league minimum and are not considered part of the compensatory formula.
Likewise, their additions of defensive end J.J. Watt and cornerback Malcolm Butler do not count against them because they were released by their respective teams and did not have their contracts expire. When teams release a player before the term of their contract, there is no compensation.
The two extra seventh-round selections don’t necessarily do much but an extra fifth-round pick could turn into something. The extra draft capital will allow them to potentially move around in the 2022 draft, add extra players or use the picks to acquire experienced players via trades.
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