The news that the Lions are hiring longtime Rams executive Brad Holmes as Detroit’s new general manager means that for the first time, the league’s new rule rewarding teams that help develop minority coaches and executives will be put into place.
Holmes is a minority, so the Rams will now receive a third-round compensatory pick in both the 2021 NFL draft and the 2022 NFL draft for losing Holmes.
Those third-round picks will come after the compensatory picks that are awarded to teams for losing free agent players. We don’t yet know how many third-round compensatory picks will be awarded for losing free agents, but if there were five regular third-round compensatory picks, those would be picks Nos. 97-101. Then the first compensatory pick for losing a minority player or executive would be No. 102.
If multiple teams lose minority coaches or executives, multiple third-round compensatory picks will be awarded. They’ll be awarded in the same order that teams choose in the draft, so the team that’s higher in the draft order would also be higher in the compensatory pick order.
These compensatory picks are in addition to the 32 compensatory picks that are regularly awarded. So while the draft would typically have 256 overall picks (32 in each of seven rounds, plus 32 compensatory picks), there can now be more than 256 picks because of the additional compensatory picks.
The full text of the NFL resolution is below:
2020 RESOLUTION JC-2A
Whereas, the member clubs believe that policies designed to promote equal employment opportunity and a diverse and inclusive workforce advance significant league interests, including improved decision making, enhanced business performance, and representing the NFL as an employer of choice that hires and promotes based on merit; and
Whereas, the member clubs have adopted policies extending over several decades in furtherance of these goals, including policies designed to permit upward mobility and advancement of club employees, particularly those in coaching and football operations roles; and
Whereas, the member clubs believe that it is appropriate to take additional steps to enhance opportunities for employment and advancement of minorities and women in key positions, including leadership roles in coaching, personnel, and football operations,
Be it Resolved, that the League Policy on Equal Employment and Workplace Diversity will be amended as follows:
(i) The employer-club of a minority employee who has been hired by another club as its Head Coach or Primary Football Executive (General Manager) shall receive Draft choice compensation in the form of a compensatory Draft pick in the third round in each of the next two Drafts for an employee hired as either a Head Coach or Primary Football Executive, or for the next three Drafts if it has two employees hired for both positions. The reference to the hiring of employees into “both positions” could be by the same club or different clubs. The following will apply to the Draft choice compensation:
a. Any compensatory Draft picks awarded pursuant to this Policy will be at the end of the third round following all compensatory Draft picks awarded to clubs pursuant to Appendix V of the NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement.
b. If multiple clubs are awarded compensatory Draft picks pursuant to this Policy, then the order of those picks at the end of the third round will follow the original selection order for that Draft established prior to any trades or other adjustments.
(ii) The employer-club shall be eligible to receive this Draft choice compensation if:
a. The minority employee hired as a Head Coach or Primary Football Executive has been employed by the employer-club for a minimum of two full seasons; and
b. The minority employee is not the Head Coach or Primary Football Executive of the employer-club and is hired into the same position with the new club. There can be no break in employment between clubs.
Submitted by Workplace Diversity Committee
Effect: Establishes a system that rewards clubs for developing minority employees who move to the position of Primary Football Executive or Head Coach with other clubs.
Reason: Supports development opportunities for minority employees to advance goals of diversity, equity and inclusion.