Compensatory Pick Clarification

The NFL's rules on compensatory selections awarded to teams that lose free agents are in that category of league minutiae I a) don't understand and b) really couldn't care less about unless it affects the Eagles.  I'll argue all day about how the theory of advantage/disadvantage is applied in the illegal contact rule, but the front office regulations make my eyes glaze over.

Which is why I didn't think Domo's discussion of Correll Buckhalter's season was totally correct ...

To former Eagles running back Correll Buckhalter, who, at 31, is having the best season of his career with the Broncos ... It should be mentioned that the Eagles are rooting as hard as anybody for his continued success this season since it will affect the round and number of compensatory draft picks they get for departed free agents, including he and Broncos teammate Brian Dawkins and Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan.

... but really wasn't sure.  So I asked the guy whom I'm convinced secretly works in the League office for an explanation.  Here's what Sam told me:

No, it is wrong. Sort of.

Compensatory picks are determined by a few different factors:

1) Players qualify, and are loosely bunched, by average annual compensation in their deals. All qualifying players signed and netted (who made the team) are offset. Thus, the Eagles lost five (Tra, Dawk, Considine, Buckhalter, LJ) and signed three (Jones, Weaver, St. Andrews). Rashad Baker doesn't qualify because he was cut before the season. Runyan doesn't qualify because he signed after the cutoff date (June or July).

2) The order and round of picks is primarily done with respect to compensation. However, playing time (percent of snaps) and postseason honors also are taken into account. Playing time can move you as much as up or down a round, in extreme cases. Postseason honors can change the order in a round, but that's it. They matter almost not at all.

3) One new wrinkle we learned about last year is that guys in their 10th year can't return a comp pick above the 5th round. Faneca should have gotten the Steelers a 3rd last year, but the experience thing knocked it down.

I'd guess the Eagles are looking at two 6th or 7th round picks, but I haven't done the research to know for sure. I'd be shocked if we got more.

Buck's performance is pretty irrelevant at this point, apart from snaps. Even then, we're at the stage when not much change can really be made in that metric.