It wasn't quite as fruitful as last year, but the Green Bay Packers collected a pair of compensatory picks on Monday at the annual NFL owners meetings in Phoenix.
Among the 32 compensatory picks, the Packers received two sixth-round picks. They were Nos. 210 and 212 overall in the draft.
Last year, Thompson received third- and fifth-round compensatory picks. The highest bonus picks come at the end of round three. Those picks cannot be traded.
It gives general manager Ted Thompson nine selections in the April 30-May 2 draft. He has his own pick (No. 30 overall) in each of the seven rounds plus the two compensatory picks.
The Packers received the two extra picks for losing center Evan Dietrich-Smith (to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers) and receiver James Jones (Oakland Raiders) last offseason in free agency. They also lost tackle Marshall Newhouse (Cincinnati Bengals) and defensive end C.J. Wilson (Raiders) but were not awarded any compensation for them. The league said Wilson was considered in the formula, and the Packers could have received a third pick had it not awarded all 32 picks (the maximum allowed) before they reached Wilson on the pecking order.
The addition of Julius Peppers and Letroy Guion last offseason did not factor into the formula because they were not unrestricted free agents. Instead, they were street free agents because they were cut by their old teams with time still remaining on their contracts.
Since 1994, the Packers have received 35 compensatory picks, second only to the Baltimore Ravens (44).
