Texans Receive 3rd Round Compensatory Pick, Will Send That To Browns in Duke Johnson Deal

The NFL announced the release of compensatory picks and the Houston Texans were awarded a third round pick, 97th overall. The Texans will send that pick to the Cleveland Browns to complete the trade for Duke Johnson.

Before the 2019 season, Cleveland Browns general manager agreed to a trade with the Houston Texans to send running back Duke Johnson in exchange for a compensatory selection. The deal was for a fourth round pick, unless Johnson was active for ten games, in which case, it would become a third. 

Johnson was active for ten games, so the Texans owe the Browns a third round pick. Since the Texans received a third round compensatory selection, they can now send that pick to the Browns to complete the trade. The Texans have the 90th overall pick in the third round, but since they were awarded the 97th pick with the release of the compensatory picks, also in the third round, the Texans will naturally select to send the Browns the 97th pick.

Trades involving conditional picks are ultimately up to the team to select which pick they send. They will always send the lower pick. In the same way, if the Texans didn't have a third round pick, the Texans would then have to send the Browns a second round pick.

The third round pick is for the loss of Tyrann Mathieu, who left in free agency to sign with the Kansas City Chiefs. He signed a three-year deal worth up to $42 million, including a $14.8 million signing bonus and a base salary of $11.8 million. That is why the Texans were awarded a third round selection.

The team also lost Kendall Lamm, Chris Covington and Kareem Jackson to free agency, only signing Bradley Roby. They were awarded a seventh round pick, 250th, for their cumulative free agent losses.

Including the 97th pick, the Browns have seven picks in the 2020 NFL Draft along with another third round selection but currently without a fifth round selection.