The 2026 NFL Draft is nearly upon us, and the San Francisco 49ers currently have six draft picks at their disposal, far different than the 11 they had last offseason.
Of the six picks, three were compensatory picks, which the 49ers got for the losses of Aaron Banks, Charvarius Ward, and Talanoa Hufanga.
How did the San Francisco 49ers get a compensatory pick for Aaron Banks?
The 49ers were awarded a fourth-round compensatory pick for the loss of Aaron Banks, who signed a four-year, $77 million deal with the Green Bay Packers last offseason.
That ended up being the highest compensatory pick awarded of any team at the end of the fourth round, becoming the No. 133 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
There were only four compensatory picks awarded higher; the Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, and Pittsburgh Steelers each got third-round compensatory picks for losing free agents, while the Detroit Lions got a third-round compensatory pick for the departure of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn.
Each of those three teams lost free agents who made at least $21 million per year on their free agent deals, hence why they got a third-round compensatory pick in return.
How did Aaron Banks perform for the Green Bay Packers in 2025?
It was a rough year for the Packers’ most expensive free agent, who struggled with injuries to start the year and gave up 29 pressures across 460 pass-blocking snaps. Heading into the second year of that massive four-year contract, Aaron Banks will have a lot to prove, considering he’s one of the highest-paid guards in the NFL.
Who did the San Francisco 49ers choose with the Aaron Banks compensatory pick?
When the 49ers got to pick 133, they traded it to the Baltimore Ravens. They got pick 154 back and a sixth-rounder in 2027. At 154, they selected Jaden Dugger, linebacker from Louisiana.
What is a compensatory pick?
Compensatory picks are awarded to teams that suffer a net loss of qualifying free agents during the previous year’s free agency period. So 2026 NFL Draft compensatory picks are awarded due to free agents lost in 2025.
Then those players are ranked on the amount of salary, playing time, and a bunch of other criteria and slotted into the end of rounds three through seven.
