The San Francisco 49ers lost guard Alex Boone to free agency last offseason, who signed a four-year, $26.8 million deal with the Minnesota Vikings. As a result, the team has been awarded a fourth-round compensatory pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, per the Sacramento Bee. The new selection will be the number 37 selection in the round and the 143rd pick overall. The 49ers had no qualifying free agent signings to offset the loss of Boone.
#49ers report that they received one compensatory pick -- the 37th pick in the fourth round -- in the upcoming draft.
— Matt Barrows (@mattbarrows) February 24, 2017
Compensatory picks are given to teams that lose more via free agency than they gain. The awarded picks are determined by a number of factors, including the value of a player's new contract, playing time, and honors. The addition of the pick gives the 49ers 10 selections in the upcoming draft, including the second overall selection. The 2017 NFL Draft kicks off on Thursday, April 27 in Philadelphia.
A change in the NFL rules now allows teams to trade compensatory picks, further adding to the 49ers' arsenal should the team look to deal picks in a trade.
Within the NFC West, the Seattle Seahawks were awarded two third-round selections and the Los Angeles Rams received two (3rd and 4th rounds).