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If there’s a silver lining to the New Orleans Saints seeing a former first round draft pick walk away, it’s that they should expect to receive a future selection in return as compensation. The New York Jets reached an agreement with defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins on a contract paying out $8.5 million annually, which is good news for New Orleans down the line.
Right now, the analysts at Over The Cap project the Saints to recoup a fifth rounder in 2022 to offset losing Rankins; that’s in addition to a compensatory third round pick (following personnel executive Terry Fontenot being hired by the Atlanta Falcons) as well as a fourth round selection (for defensive end Trey Hendrickson’s deal with the Cincinnati Bengals). That’s good to see after the NFL deducted New Orleans’ 2022 sixth round pick for COVID-19 protocols violations during the 2020 season.
So remember, things can change if the Saints sign more unrestricted free agents. The addition of fullback Alex Armah wiped out a compensatory seventh rounder they would have received for the cornerback Justin Hardee’s Jets deal. If the Saints suddenly start throwing money around and bringing in new faces, these future draft picks would be in jeopardy. Conversely, more departures of their own free agents could bring in more compensatory picks — names to watch include linebackers Alex Anzalone and Craig Robertson, though their average annual salaries would have to be north of $3 million to qualify.
Additionally, more movement around the league could put higher-valued qualifiers ahead of New Orleans. Three other teams will receive third-round compensatory picks for general manager/head coach hires from the 2021 cycle, and more will follow next offseason. And the loss of wide receiver Kenny Golladay on an $18 million per-year deal qualified the Detroit Lions for a compensatory third rounder, too. That’s why Hendrickson is expected to return just a fourth rounder at $15 million in average annual salary.
But with that said, here’s the current tally of their upcoming selections in 2022 (click here for the Saints’ full 2021 draft order):
- Round 1
- Round 2
- Round 3
- Round 3 (compensatory, Fontenot)
- Round 4 (compensatory, Hendrickson)
- Round 5
- Round 5 (compensatory, Rankins)
- Round 7
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