2023 NFL Draft: Bears awarded a compensatory pick

In an unexpected turn of events, the Chicago Bears were awarded a seventh round compensatory draft pick. Their new selection will be the penultimate pick in the 2023 NFL Draft (41st in the round/258th overall), one ahead of Houston’s choice for Mr. Irrelevant.

Chicago wasn’t awarded the bonus pick because of the usual free agency calculation but because the NFL needed to hand out a couple more comps.

From the League’s press release:

“The Collective Bargaining Agreement stipulates if in any League Year the number of compensatory selections awarded is less than the number of clubs then in the League (32), an additional number of selection choices shall be awarded to clubs based upon draft selection order (“Supplemental Selections”). This year, thirty compensatory selections were awarded to thirteen clubs based upon the netting formula described above. Two clubs, Chicago and Houston, will be awarded Supplemental Selections.”

In total there were 37 comp picks awarded with the San Francisco 49ers leading the way with 7. They received 4 from the free agency lost/gained formula and 3 additional third-round compensatory picks for losing minority coaches and executives to head coach and general manager jobs.

This year’s comp for the Bears is just the 21st time they’ve received one since 1994, which is more than only 7 other franchises.

For the complete list of comp picks, you can click here.