Compensatory draft picks for the 2013 NFL draft are usually announced at the NFL owner\’s meetings, which this year take place in Arizona on March 17-20. The formula for figuring out compensatory draft picks has never been released, but that doesn\’t stop people from trying to crack the code just the same.
The Pittsburgh Steelers only lost one unrestricted free agent last season when cornerback William Gay signed a two-year, $3.2 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals. The Steelers did sign unrestricted free agent tight end Leonard Pope, but he shouldn\’t count in the formula being as it was a minimum contract that he agreed to.
One site has done projections for all of the compensatory draft picks that will be forthcoming in a matter of weeks and they have the Steelers receiving a seventh-round compensatory pick for the loss off Gay. That really sounds about right and I would be surprised if it comes in any higher than that.
Last year the Steelers were awarded three compensatory draft picks and all three were of the seventh round variety. It is important to remember that these compensatory picks will be added onto the end of the originally scheduled picks in that round and these picks also may not be traded.
