When it comes to building a championship-caliber roster, Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions front office are always thinking two steps ahead—and that includes the compensatory draft pick game.

While fans tend to get fired up about free agency and draft night splashes, it’s the behind-the-scenes strategy—like stockpiling comp picks—that separates savvy front offices from the rest. And once again, the Lions look like they’re set to cash in.

What Are Compensatory Picks Anyway?

In short? They’re bonus draft picks teams get for losing more qualifying free agents than they gain. It’s a reward for being responsible (and sometimes just plain patient) in free agency. The league uses a formula based on salary, snap counts, and postseason honors to decide what round those picks fall into—anywhere from Round 3 to Round 7.

Oh, and teams can’t get more than four of these picks per year.

So What’s the Buzz About 2026?

Thanks to a combination of free-agent losses and front-office movement, the Lions are already projected to receive two compensatory picks in the 2026 NFL Draft—one in the third round and another in the seventh.

Let’s break it down:

Third-round pick: This one is locked in thanks to the NFL’s minority hiring initiative. When the Jets hired former Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn as their head coach in 2025, it triggered a rule that gives Detroit a third-rounder in each of two consecutive drafts. This will be the second of those two picks.

Seventh-round pick: This one’s projected based on the disparity between the Lions’ free-agent losses and gains. With Carlton Davis and Kevin Zeitler departing to the Patriots and Titans respectively, and Detroit bringing in D.J. Reed and Roy Lopez, the Lions are eligible for a low-end compensatory pick—likely a seventh-rounder.

Why It Matters

Let’s be honest—most fans don’t throw a parade for seventh-round picks. But the smart teams do. Just ask the Patriots how they churned through the bottom of the draft and stayed competitive for two decades. Every extra dart throw matters.

And more importantly, it shows how the Lions’ front office is operating like a perennial contender. They’re not just building for 2025—they’re building for sustained success.

Brad Holmes and Dan Campbell aren’t just assembling a roster—they’re cultivating a program. And in that program, even backup linemen, rotational DBs, and comp picks play a key role.

The Detroit Lions continue to be one of the smartest teams in football when it comes to future planning. With two more draft picks coming their way in 2026, the team is positioning itself to stay deep, balanced, and flexible.

Want to be a contender every year? This is how you do it.