Bills awarded compensatory draft pick after losing Tremaine Edmunds in free agency

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) – The Buffalo Bills were awarded a compensatory draft pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, giving them an extra selection at the end of the fourth round.

Compensatory picks are awarded based on the number and value of qualifying free agents a team signed or lost the previous offseason. The exact process for awarding picks has never been revealed publicly by the NFL, but it centers on a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors.

The Bills were in position to earn a pick because they lost three qualifying free agents last season but only signed two. Linebacker Tremaine Edmunds’ massive deal with the Chicago Bears was the biggest factor in earning the pick, though his four-year, $72 million contract wasn’t enough for the Bills to earn a third-round pick, the highest pick available under the program.

The Bills were awarded the 133rd overall selection on Friday, coming 34th in Round 4. They now have 11 picks in the 2024 Draft, though only two in Rounds 1-3 (full list below).

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Recent Bills selections in that range include receivers Khalil Shakir (148th in 2022) and Gabe Davis (128th in 2020), slot cornerback Taron Johnson (121st in 2018), and quarterback Cardale Jones (139th in 2016). Franchise legend Kyle Williams was drafted 134th overall in 2006.

The Bills likely had hoped to receive a third-round pick for the loss of Edmunds. The league only awarded four third-round compensatory selections this year. Earning a third-rounder would’ve moved the Bills up to around pick 100.

In addition to Edmunds, qualifying free agents the Bills lost last year included quarterback Case Keenum and running back Devin Singletary. Their two qualifying additions were receiver Deonte Harty and offensive lineman Connor McGovern.

Baltimore, Philadelphia and San Francisco earned the most compensatory picks, getting four each. The full list can be seen here.

Full list of Bills 2024 draft picks

Here are all 11 picks the Bills have in the draft, via the team:

• Round 1, Pick 28

• Round 2, Pick 60

• Round 4, Pick 129

• Round 4, Pick 133 (compensatory)

• Round 5, Pick 143 (from CHI)

• Round 5, Pick 159 (from GB)

• Round 5, Pick 162

• Round 6, Pick 198 (from LAR)

• Round 6, Pick 202 (from DAL)

• Round 6, Pick 206

• Round 7, Pick 246

The Bills traded their third-rounder to Green Bay for cornerback Rasul Douglas and a fifth.

A compensatory pick can be traded.

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Nick Veronica is a Buffalo native who joined the News 4 team as the Digital Executive Producer in 2021. He previously worked at NBC Sports and The Buffalo News. You can follow Nick on Facebook, Twitter and Threads. See more of his work here.

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