Dallas Cowboys draft selections increase to seven with compensatory pick

The Dallas Cowboys were granted an extra compensatory selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, giving them a total of seven picks in the annual selection event.

With the NFL free agency period starting next week, the Dallas Cowboys are having to make some tough decisions about their current crop of free agents. Yet, there’s a silver lining for any high-profile players who leave Dallas in free agency. And that’s compensatory draft selections.

Based on an undisclosed formula that considers the salary, playing time, and postseason honors of lost free agents, the NFL awards extra compensatory draft picks as compensation. And, on Tuesday, the league announced that the Cowboys have been awarded one of those selections.

According to DallasCowboys.com, the NFL has awarded America’s Team a compensatory selection in the fifth round, 179th overall. This was presumably due to the loss of slot receiver Cole Beasley, who signed a four-year, $29 million deal to join the Buffalo Bills last offseason.

This newest selection now gives the Cowboys a total of seven draft picks in the upcoming draft. Here’s a list of all the team’s picks in the 2020 NFL Draft so far …

• First Round, 17th Overall
• Second Round, 51st Overall
• Third Round, 82nd Overall
• Fourth Round, 123rd Overall
• Fifth Round, 164th Overall
• Fifth Round, 179th Overall (Compensatory selection)
• Sixth Round, (Traded to Miami Dolphins for Robert Quinn, DE)
• Seventh Round, 231st Overall

The Cowboys made two fifth-round selections in the 2019 NFL Draft. With those picks, Dallas selected Miami cornerback Michael Jackson (158th overall) and Miami defensive end Joe Jackson (165th overall).

In 2016, the Cowboys used a fourth-round compensatory pick (135th overall) to select Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott. After a preseason back injury sidelined starting quarterback Tony Romo, Prescott would proceed to lead America’s Team to a 13-3 season-ending record, earning himself his first Pro Bowl nomination and the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

Since 2017, the NFL has allowed compensatory selections to be traded. So the Dallas Cowboys’ newest selection can be packaged in a trade to help the team obtain players, move up in the draft, or get them additional picks.