For the second time in team history, the Cleveland Browns are getting a compensatory pick. The pick will be close to the end of the seventh round at No. 247 overall out of 252 possible picks. With the Browns failing to lose any significant free agents prior to the 2010 season, why were the Browns awarded an extra pick? Tony Grossi of the Plain Dealer explains why:
Only 21 picks were assigned on based on [teams who lost free agents] this year. By rules of the former bargaining agreement, however, the total number of compensatory picks each year must equal 32. So 11 additional choices were awarded at the end of the seventh round based on the first-round selection order.
That means that since the Browns pick at No. 6 overall, they were given one of the "unfilled" compensatory picks by default. The Browns did not have a seventh-round draft choice prior to this announcement due to a previous trade. Having a pick that late is basically like getting an undrafted free agent, except the Browns can basically have "first dibs" on one player from that pool. The Baltimore Ravens received two fifth round compensatory picks.