New Orleans Saints awarded three compensatory picks in 2021 Draft

The NFL Draft is typically one of the best times for teams in the offseason. However, due to trades, other trades, and punishments, the New Orleans Saints only had three picks — a first, a second, and a fourth-round pick.

Now, as a result of losing free agents Teddy Bridgewater, A.J. Klein, and Vonn Bell in free agency and the team losing Terry Fontenot to the Atlanta Falcons, the team has been awarded three extra 2021 NFL Draft picks and one 2022 NFL Draft pick.

In a draft that was going to be slim with Saints picks now seems to be revitalized. That means that Sean Payton and company will go into the draft room with six picks instead of three. They are still missing a fifth and seventh-round pick but add an extra third-round pick.

This is a huge plus for New Orleans.

Due to the loss in free agency last year, the New Orleans Saints were awarded four compensatory draft picks over the next two years.

With the team having to release virtually their entire team to get below the cap number this season, this will be a huge blessing in relieving the pressure from releasing a multitude of players in order to get below the NFL’s salary cap.

The third round seems to be Sean Payton’s specialty as well. He moved up into it twice last year to get linebacker Zach Baun and tight end Adam Trautman who will prove to be integral parts of the team in the coming seasons.

In the third round this year, the Saints have been awarded the No. 98 pick, which is the third-best third-round compensatory pick for Bridgewater, and the No. 105 pick, which is the last third-round pick because of the Atlanta Falcons general manager.

They were also awarded the No. 217 pick which is in the sixth round. On top of that, they were awarded a 2022 third-round pick for the Falcons hiring Fontenot, which we won’t find out what that is until the next offseason.