Packers shouldn’t expect any compensatory draft picks in 2020

After spending big in free agency, the Green Bay Packers likely won’t receive any compensatory draft picks next offseason.

The Green Bay Packers didn’t receive a compensatory draft pick in the 2019 NFL Draft, the first time that had happened in a decade. But that trend looks to continue into next year, as it’s unlikely the Packers will receive an additional draft pick next spring.

In his second year as general manager, Brian Gutekunst continued last offseason’s approach to be active participants in free agency. One negative of this approach is that it reduces the chances of receiving compensatory draft picks the following offseason.

The deadline for free agents counting against future draft picks was on May 7, so we can now get a good idea of which teams will receive picks, based on Over The Cap’s compensatory draft pick cancellation chart.

As the chart shows, the Packers signed four qualifying unrestricted free agents, and also lost four. But despite losing Bashaud Breeland, Randall Cobb, Clay Matthews and Jake Ryan, the signings of Za’Darius Smith, Preston Smith, Adrian Amos and Billy Turner cancel them out.

Now that the deadline has passed, any signings made from this point won’t impact next year’s draft picks. So that means if another team signs one of the Packers’ remaining unrestricted free agents, it won’t make a difference and Green Bay won’t receive a pick as a result.

Of course, if Green Bay’s signings all make an impact this year, Gutekunst won’t be too disappointed not to get additional picks next spring. Compensatory draft picks are undoubtedly useful, and the Packers have made some great picks over the years, but they are in win-now mode and will be hoping their free agency moves improve the roster right away, and not just a year or two from now.

Gutekunst’s approach to free agency couldn’t be much more different to Ted Thompson‘s, and as a result the Packers likely won’t receive any compensatory picks in the near future.