Patriots awarded league-leading four compensatory picks in 2020 NFL draft

The New England Patriots will own the rights to an NFL-leading four compensatory selections in the 2020 draft, the league announced Tuesday.

A pair of compensatory picks are scheduled to arrive at the end of the third round for head coach Bill Belichick’s New England war room, and another pair follow at the end of the sixth round.

• Round 3, No. 98 overall
• Round 3, No. 100 overall
• Round 6, No. 212 overall
• Round 6, No. 213 overall

This spring’s 32 compensatory draft choices were dispersed to a total of 15 organizations, with the Houston Texans, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles and Seattle Seahawks all garnering three apiece behind New England’s maximum of four.

A team losing “more or better” free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks. Salary, playing time and postseason honors factor into the equation.

And the equation now leaves the Patriots, who begin at No. 23 overall in the first round, with a dozen draft choices altogether for April.

New England’s 2019 free-agent subtractions included wide receivers Chris Hogan and Cordarelle Patterson, offensive tackles Trent Brown and LaAdrian Waddle, defensive linemen Malcom Brown and Trey Flowers, as well as cornerback Eric Rowe. Among the qualifying free-agent additions last offseason stood running back Brandon Bolden.

Dating back to when the compensatory formula was first introduced by the NFL Management Council in 1994, the Patriots have been awarded 43 selections. That tally ties the Dallas Cowboys for second-most after only the Baltimore Ravens’ 52.

Compensatory picks became tradeable assets ahead of the 2017 draft.