The Pittsburgh Steelers traded a 2016 draft pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday to acquire kicker Josh Scobee and while several of you seem to be on board with that deal, others of you feel that the team still gave up too much for a kicker that is likely to be a one-year rental.
While the sixth-round selection in next year’s draft is now indeed gone, there is a possibility that the Steelers will receive a sixth or seventh round compensatory draft pick in 2017 should Scobee sign elsewhere during the 2016 free agent signing period and ultimately play well.
In other words, you should be rooting for Scobee to have a great 2015 season not only because he’s now a member of the Steelers, but also because it will help strengthen his free agent value as well as his market price.
So, when was the last time that a kicker factored into compensatory draft picks? Well, you only have to back a few years as Josh Brown and Phil Dawson both qualified in the 2014 compensatory formula. Now, that formula is based on salary, playing time and postseason honors as well as team net gain or loss, so it’s hard to say exactly what the value of both Brown and Dawson were that year. They both counted, however, and that’s all that really matters.
If you’ve read all of that and still find yourself upset with the Steelers giving up a sixth-round selection next year for Scobee, maybe this will make you feel a little bit better.
Being as the Steelers lost cornerback Brice McCain this past offseason during free agency, the team stands a good chance of receiving a 2016 sixth or seventh round compensatory draft pick for their loss. In other words, you should be rooting for McCain to play well for the Miami Dolphins this upcoming season.
Yes, I am well aware that the Steelers also traded a 2016 conditional fifth round pick for cornerback Brandon Boykin several weeks ago, but much like will be the case with Scobee, that pick, or even a higher round one, should circle back to the team in 2017 should Boykin indeed leave via free agency.
