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The NFL awarded 32 compensatory picks to NFL teams based on players lost and gained during the 2016 free agency period. The Titans, as expected, did not receive any. To make matters worse, the Rams did receive a 3rd round compensatory pick for losing Janoris Jenkins in free agency last year which means the Titans will receive that pick (#100 overall) instead of the Rams “natural” 3rd (#69 overall). If you want to read more about how compensatory picks are determined check out this OverTheCap article that describes it in depth. This finalizes the draft order and here are the Titans picks:
Round 1
Pick #5 (from LA)
Pick #18
Round 2
None
Round 3
Pick #83
Pick #100 (from LA)
Round 4
Pick #125
Round 5
Pick #164
Round 6
Pick #214 (from ATL)
Round 7
Pick #236
The trade with the Rams for the #1 overall pick last year had a stipulation that the 3rd round pick in the 2017 Draft that the Rams were sending us would turn in to their compensatory 3rd if they received one, which is why this news impacted that trade. 2017 is the first year that trading compensatory picks is allowed, so that means the Titans will be free to use that #100 overall pick to use in another trade to move around the draft board if they choose to do so.
This certainly changes the outlook of the draft a bit for the Titans compared to the original assumption that we would be getting the Rams #69 overall pick in the third. As it stands now we will have a whopping 65 picks between our choice at #18 overall and our next pick if we choose to stick and pick where we are. I would be shocked if Jon Robinson does not make a trade to move somewhere between #18 and #83 sometime between now and draft day. He already said as much to Jim Wyatt earlier this offseason:
“I’d love to have a second-round pick,’’ Robinson said. “That is a sweet spot in the draft, those second-round picks. The first-round picks, it is good to have extras of those, too. You get an extra year on the contract, with a fifth-year option that you don’t get on the other rounds.
“If we can navigate and put ourselves in a position to pick up an extra pick, specifically in the second round, we’ve love to do that.”
I think a trade down with one of the two 1st round picks is probably the most likely route that could result in us picking up a 2nd round pick, but packing the two 3rds to get up in to the 2nd could be an option as well. I am excited to see what kind of #JRobbery he is able to pull off this year.