When Ozzie Newsome was G.M. of the Ravens, they led the league in acquiring compensatory draft picks. Now Newsome has stepped aside and Eric DeCosta is the G.M., but the Ravens’ commitment to compensatory picks continues.
Last week the Ravens signed three free agents: Shane Ray, Pernell McPhee and Michael Floyd. It’s telling that the Ravens waited until mid-May to sign all three players, because that got them past the last date by which free agent signings can affect the compensatory pick formula.
As noted by Nick Korte of OverTheCap.com, if the Ravens had made those signings before May 7, it could have canceled out their 2020 compensatory picks. The Ravens are slated to get a third-round pick and a fourth-round pick when the compensatory picks are doled out next year.
Many of the most successful teams in the league are the ones that prioritize compensatory picks; in addition to the Ravens the teams that best positioned themselves for compensatory picks in 2020 are the Patriots, Seahawks and Eagles.