The NFL blessed the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers on Friday when it announced its decision on compensatory draft picks for the 2024 draft. The 49ers received the most compensatory picks for April of any NFL team.
The San Francisco 49ers received five extra 2024 NFL Draft picks
Per a statement by the NFL, the 49ers are set to receive five compensatory picks for the upcoming draft, including one for Day 2.
.@NFL Announces 34 Compensatory Draft Choices to 14 Clubs: https://t.co/ISEfUzofID pic.twitter.com/PJ9CWCK57n
— NFL345 (@NFL345) March 8, 2024
How the 49ers got so many compensatory picks
The 49ers received four Day 3 picks for losing compensatory free agents. Per a statement by the league, the 49ers received a third-round pick for this draft due to former defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans becoming the head coach of the Houston Texans last offseason:
” A special compensatory selection was awarded to the Los Angeles Rams and the San Francisco 49ers under a 2020 amendment to the League’s Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was agreed upon by the NFL and the NFLPA to promote equal employment opportunities and an inclusive workforce within NFL clubs.
This initiative provides that the prior employer-club of a minority employee who has been hired by another club as its head coach or primary football executive (general manager) will receive compensation in the form of a special compensatory draft selection in the third round of each of the next two drafts, or in each of the next three drafts if two minority employees from the employer-club are hired for these positions by another club or clubs.”
NFL owners complained about Kyle Shanahan abusing the system
The 49ers have come under scrutiny in previous seasons for the vast number of picks they have received in head coach Kyle Shanahan’s tenure. Per a February article by ESPN‘s Seth Wickersham, NFL owners have complained about the 49ers hiring minority coaches and executives so they can receive extra Day 2 picks:
“We know he can hire well and diverse; in fact, owners have complained to the league office about the sheer number of compensatory picks the 49ers have received for serving as a pipeline for coaches and executives of color. But there’s always been something missing from his teams.”
Those complaints won’t go away after April’s draft.
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