FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – DECEMBER 29: Head coach Bill Belichick of the New England Patriots looks on during the game against the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium on December 29, 2019 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
By Ty Anderson, 985TheSportsHub.com
The New England Patriots were major winners on Tuesday, as the franchise was awarded a league-high four compensatory picks for the 2020 NFL Draft, according to the NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.
Per Pelissero, the Patriots will be awarded two third-round selections as well as a pair of sixth-round choices. The third-round picks, which will check in at No. 98 and No. 100 overall, come as a result of Trey Flowers’ move to the Detroit Lions on a five-year, $90 million contract and Trent Brown’s move to the Raiders on a four-year deal worth $66 million.
The sixth-round picks, meanwhile, will check in at No. 212 and No. 213 overall, respectively.
The picks awarded to New England, as always, were based on the departing players’ salary, playing time, and potential postseason honors. Overall, the Patriots were among nine teams to receive multiple compensatory picks, with the Broncos, Texans, Vikings, Giants, Eagles, and Seahawks among the other teams with at least three compensatory picks.
It’s also worth noting that no team can be awarded more than four compensatory picks in any one season.