Welcome to AtlantaFalcons.com managing editor Jay Adams' blog-style posts where Jay jaws about the Falcons. JAWS, of course, stands for Jay Adams Writes Stuff, which means all the Falcons news and information that slips through the cracks — and some that doesn't — can be found right here in these posts
A lot of you have asked during the past few weeks if the Falcons have compensatory picks coming to them in April's NFL Draft.
Well, here's your answer: Not a single one.
The Falcons weren't awarded any of the 32 compensatory picks handed out by the league Friday. I won't attempt to explain this any better than NFL.com did:
*"Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.
The number of picks a team receives equals the net loss of compensatory free agents up to a maximum of four. The 32 compensatory choices announced today will supplement the 221 choices in the seven rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft (April 28-30), which will kick off in primetime for the second consecutive year."*
The Falcons didn't lose more compensatory free agents last year than they acquired, which would explain the lack of compensatory picks.
The Falcons are still expected to receive the draft picks acquired in the trades of cornerback Chris Houston to Detroit and tackle Quinn Ojinnaka to New England.
There were 23 teams that were awarded compensatory picks, with NFC South rival Carolina making out the best of any of them. The Panthers were awarded three compensatory picks, including one in the third round, because of losing defensive end Julius Peppers to Chicago in free agency.
