Patriot Games: Compensation Benefits

March 20, 2019

By Jay Evans

Art Monk never looked good in green. Gross. Watching your favorite player leave for free agency, only to sign with the arch rival is equivalent to your ex leaving you at the altar for your bff and the two using your frequent flyer miles to go on the honeymoon. Perhaps the best advice is to move on, live life and acquire picks.

The Redskins made it known that the approach heading into the 2018 free agency period was directly influenced by the compensatory process. The Redskins were vocal about recouping compensatory picks for outgoing free agents Kirk Cousins, Trent Murphy, Ryan Grant, and Spencer Long. The result of that strategy was that the Redskins were awarded four compensatory picks in the 2019 NFL draft. The approach has seemingly continued this offseason as the Redskins have allowed their own solid free agents to find new suitors while targeting impact difference makers and filling in the holes with cheap veterans.

The Redskins are possibly taking a page out of the playbook from the greatest franchise in all of sports. The New England Patriots routinely pursue compensation picks, allowing players to sign with other teams, watching franchises spend on aging veterans and recouping a plethora of compensatory picks as a result. In this free agency the Patriots are playing “their game” and are primed to receive more draft picks in the 2020 draft.

Tom Brady, the G.O.A.T., chosen with the 199^th pick in the 2000 draft, was a compensation pick. What makes the Patriots significantly different than their counterparts? Sure, other teams have won the Super Bowl with great coaching and/or great quarterbacks, but what has the Patriots lapping the rest of field?

I narrowed the focused to talent acquisition, and more accurately the manipulation of the compensatory pick process. Three things seem to govern the Pats and how they operate through player acquisition.

First, allow opponents to covet and over inflate the value of your own resources. Second, identify specific commodities in the bull market, while allowing others to fight over bear stocks. Third, and finally, scour the market for tradable assets because trades have no effect in the compensatory program.

The algorithm that determines how franchises receive picks is not public, but some have attempted to crack the code. Essentially, assets gained subtracted by assets lost, while accounting for inflation, equal X number of picks. If the team A signed one free agent and lost three, team A would be at a net loss of two. If the losses were significant, team A would receive subsequent value. Teams can be awarded picks in the third through seventh rounds. In the same scenario, if team A’s lost assets were not valuable to the rest of the buyers, then compensation would be minimal or none.

38 in 19.

Since Bill Belichick was hired, the Patriots have received 38 compensatory picks in 19 years. Prior to that the New England franchise had received a grand total of one. The Baltimore Ravens have been awarded the most compensatory picks of all-time (50) followed by the Packers and Cowboys (42) respectively. Solidly built franchises utilize the compensation system.

The Patriots strategy to manipulate the compensatory pick system is instrumental in how they structure their franchise. In the 19 years Bill Belichick has led the New England Patriots, the number of compensatory picks the Washington Redskins have received is…seven. “Do you have any idea of how fast you were going?… 60? 65, tops?” SEVEN!

The Redskins viewed compensation picks like Al Donnelly (Tim Matheson) treated younger brother Mike (Chris Farley) in Black Sheep, only acceptable once banished to the woods. The Patriots have utilized compensatory picks to restock their roster and sustain an unprecedented amount of success over the past two decades.

New England has won 16 of the last 18 AFC East titles, including the past 10 in a row. (Let that sink in for a moment.) First, think of notable free agents to sign with the Patriots. Now, think of the players who have left the Patriots. I bet the latter is far easier to name than the former.

Compensatory picks have been awarded for numerous players who left New England: Ted Washington, Joe Andruzzi, Larry Izzo, Patrick Chung, Brandon Spikes, Donte Stallworth, Danny Woodhead, Wes Welker, Aquib Talib, Darrelle Revis, Vince Wilfork, Chris Long, et al. Even two specialists, Tom Tupa and Adam Vinatieri, aided in the Patriots acquiring multiple compensation picks.

All or the aforementioned names are solid players; however, given the opportunity, the Patriots have opted to accept compensation in return of draft picks rather than stretch the budget to retain aging assets. During the Belichick era, the Patriots have received six picks in the third-round, three in the fourth, and six picks in the fifth-round. The remainder of picks scattered throughout the final two rounds have provided the Patriots on average two additional Wonka Bars in search of the Golden Ticket every year.

When the opportunity presented itself, the Pats targeted free agents they deemed significant, such as Mike Vrabel and Rodney Harrison. Both Vrabel and Harrison became team captains and won a combined five rings.

Otherwise, New England has utilized their excess of picks to placate their deficiencies through the draft and trades. Wes Welker, undervalued by the Miami Dolphins, was acquired for second and seventh-round picks. Aquib Talib and Randy Moss were both acquired with separate fourth-round picks. The Patriots used Brandon Cooks, a first-round trade, and a sixth-round supplemental pick to acquire Isaiah Wynn, a guard/tackle with lots of promise. The compensation picks made by the Patriots have actually been underwhelming, but they have provided the Pats the utmost flexibility in acquiring talent and the most opportunity too.

The Redskins implemented a similar philosophy last year and it can be seen in their strategy this year as well. Preston Smith, Jamison Crowder and Ty Nsekhe have all signed quality contracts on the open market. Although mostly Twitter fodder, recent rumors had the Redskins interested in the trade market for a wide receiver. Since the most significant signing of the offseason so far has been Landon Collins (likely to be named captain), the Redskins have aligned themselves to receive more compensation picks in the 2020 draft based on their modus operandi. Maybe, just maybe, the Redskins are trying to emulate the “Patriot Game.”