49ers news: More NFL Draft comp picks on the way in 2024

The 49ers are projected to receive even more compensatory draft picks in 2024, thanks to what happened in NFL free agency this offseason.

The San Francisco 49ers have made it something of a practice, turning in the pieces necessary to gain compensatory selections in the NFL Draft.

Already in the 2023 draft, the Niners will be armed with a league-high seven of them. While many of these are because of the Rooney Rule, which rewards teams for developing minority coaches and assistants, San Francisco has also experienced some notable losses in NFL free agency in recent years, too.

Especially this offseason.

Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, right tackle Mike McGlinchey, safety Jimmie Ward and cornerback Emmanuel Moseley are just some of the starting-caliber players the 49ers watched depart for other pastures.

While the Niners onboarded some free agents of their own, only a handful of them are viewed as starters.

Combined with the departures of DeMeco Ryans and Ran Carthon to the Houston Texans’ head coaching job and the Tennessee Titans’ general manager vacancy, respectively, will San Francisco be in line for even more compensatory selections in 2024?

The answer is yes.

49ers projected to receive 4 more comp picks in 2024 NFL Draft

The maximum number of comp picks a team can receive during an offseason solely for player losses via NFL free agency is four,and the 49ers will have no trouble reaching that.

After losing Ryans and Carthon, the Niners will already have third-round comp picks awarded in 2024 and 2025, but the net loss of qualifying free agents will generate more.

According to Over the Cap (h/t Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area), San Francisco could qualify for five comp picks for the losses of the following players:

• OT Mike McGlinchey (Round 3)
• EDGE Samson Ebukam (Round 5)
• DB Jimmie Ward (Round 6)
• DB Emmanuel Moseley (Round 6)
• DT Hassan Ridgeway (Round 7)

Again, the 49ers can receive only four of those, and the NFL won’t officially announce comp picks until early spring of 2024 anyway.

If you’re wondering why Garoppolo doesn’t command a comp pick, it’s because of the Niners inking defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, as Maiocco pointed out:

"According to OTC’s projections, the 49ers’ loss of quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to a contract scheduled to pay him $24.25 million annually cancels out the team’s addition of former Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave at $21 million annually."

Read More: 49ers NFL free agency tracker: Who’s coming, going in 2023?

Likewise, defensive end Charles Omenihu signing with the Kansas City Chiefs is canceled out by San Francisco onboarding quarterback Sam Darnold.

The NFL keeps the formula for determining comp picks private, although it takes into account player salaries, years accrued and other factors that make sites like Over the Cap pretty accurate when predicting what picks will be awarded.

And it looks as if the 49ers will have a few more in their pockets.