Buccaneers projected for zero 2017 compensatory draft picks

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won’t get any compensatory draft picks this year, per Over The Cap’s early (and usually accurate) projections. The Denver Broncos will lead the league with four compensatory picks, including a third-rounder, per that prediction.

Compensatory picks are awarded to teams who lost more and more prominent players in free agency than they signed. Contract size and playing time play important roles in the calculation, though the actual algorithm is secret and hence not entirely accurately predictable.

The Bucs haven’t had any compensatory picks in years, because they keep signing more and more expensive players than they lose in free agency, every year. Last season they signed J.R. Sweezy (who didn’t play a single down), Robert Ayers and Brent Grimes, among others, so predictably, they didn’t get any compensatory picks this year.

Next year might be different, but probably not. The Bucs are losing a bunch of players in free agency, including Vincent Jackson and Mike Glennon (unless they re-sign them), but they’re also likely to sign a whole bunch of free agents given that they have more salary cap space than any other NFL team.