The NFL awarded compensatory picks for the 2026 NFL Draft, which will take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25, and the Steelers received multiple picks.
The Steelers received a total of four picks, and now have a total of 12 picks for the 2026 NFL Draft.
The compensatory picks are as follows:
Third Round Pick – 35th in round, 99th overall
Fourth Round Pick – 35th in round, 135th overall
Sixth Round Pick – 33rd in round, 214th overall
Sixth Round Pick – 35th in round, 216th overall
The picks are based on losses and gains from the previous year in free agency. The following are the losses/gains for the Steelers listed by the NFL:
Free agent losses: James Daniels, Justin Fields, Najee Harris, Donte Jackson, Dan Moore, Elandon Roberts and Russell Wilson.
Free agent gains: Brandin Echols, Malik Harrison and Mason Rudolph.
Since the inception of compensatory picks in 1994, the Steelers have been awarded 39 of them.
From the NFL:
Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents ("CFA") than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.
The compensatory picks will be positioned within the third through seventh rounds based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost.
Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. Clubs that suffer a net loss of CFAs during the prior free agent signing period are eligible to receive a corresponding number of compensatory selections. In addition, a club that lost the same number of CFAs that it gained (no net loss), may be eligible to receive a selection at the end of round seven based on the value of the CFAs lost versus the value of the CFAs gained. No club may receive more than four compensatory picks in any one year. If a club qualifies for more than four compensatory picks after offsetting each CFA lost by each CFA gained of an equal or higher value, the four highest remaining selections will be awarded to the club.
In addition to the 32 compensatory selections awarded under the net loss formula, a special compensatory selection was awarded to the Detroit Lions 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. That selection was subsequently traded to the Jacksonville Jaguars. 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 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. Special compensatory selections are awarded in draft selection order after all other compensatory selections in round three and are denoted with an asterisk in the following table.
