A year after letting Kenny Golladay walk in free agency, the Detroit Lions are ready to collect their reward.
The Lions received their expected allotment of three compensatory draft picks Tuesday for net free-agent losses suffered in the 2021 offseason, giving them nine picks in April’s 2022 NFL draft.
The Lions received a third-round pick, the highest awarded — No. 97 overall — for losing Golladay, and fifth- and sixth-round choices (Nos. 177 and 217) for the departures of Marvin Jones (Jacksonville) and Jarrad Davis (New York Jets).
Golladay, 28, had 37 catches for 521 yards and did not score a touchdown in 14 games last season, as the New York Giants went 4-13. He signed a four-year, $72 million contract one year ago, and will look to bounce back under new head coach Brian Daboll.
The Lions lost two other qualifying free agents last spring, Jamal Agnew and Matt Prater, but did not receive extra picks because they signed Breshad Perriman and Jamaal Williams.
For the Lions, this is the first time they have received a compensatory pick since 2016, when they got a third-round pick for losing Ndamukong Suh in free agency.
The Lions, who are not in line to receive any comp picks next spring, will enter this year’s draft with two first-round picks and six of the first 107 selections.
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They have their own first-round pick, No. 2 overall, plus the Rams’ choice at No. 32. The Lions also have their owns picks in Rounds 2-3 and 6, and a seventh-round choice from the New England Patriots for the 2020 trade of Michael Jackson.
They traded their fifth- and seventh-round choices to the Denver Broncos for Trinity Benson, and used their fourth-round choice to move up and take Derrick Barnes in last year’s draft.
The Los Angeles Chargers and Los Angeles Rams received an NFL-high four comp picks this year, the most allowed; the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers also received three.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.