What Pick Will Packers Get for Losing Linsley?

A look at the compensatory draft picks awarded this week provides a strong clue to what the Packers will receive next year.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Losing Corey Linsley will create a big hole in the middle of the Green Bay Packers’ offensive line. However, they can find some solace in the compensatory draft pick they’ll receive next year.

According to SI.com’s Albert Breer, Linsley’s five-year deal with the Los Angeles Chargers is worth $62.5 million. That’s an average of $12.5 million per season.

Based on last year’s compensatory picks, Green Bay will get a fourth-round choice in return.

Compensatory picks are dispensed with a secret NFL formula, but the largest factor is average annual salary. In the comp picks handed out last week, the Rams got the last third-round pick for losing edge defender Dante Fowler and the Cowboys got the first fourth-round pick for losing edge defender Robert Quinn. Fowler’s deal with Atlanta averaged $15 million per season. Chicago’s deal with Chicago averaged $14 million per season.

So, based on that history, the dividing line will be somewhere in that neighborhood. Linsley’s deal, which is the most expensive in the league for a center in terms of total dollars and average salary, still doesn’t get close to being worth a third-rounder.

Depending, obviously, on the money, perhaps cornerback Kevin King will get the Packers one more compensatory pick. The final comp pick awarded last year went to Chicago for losing quarterback Chase Daniel to Detroit. Daniel’s contract averaged $4.35 million.

Of course, that’s all based on Packers general manager Brian Gutekunst not making a free-agent signing. 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. A middle-of-the-road signing would wipe out that theoretical pick for King but not eliminate the pick for Linsley.

The Packers will receive three compensatory picks in the 2021 draft for losing linebacker Blake Martinez, right tackle Bryan Bulaga and outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell.