With the arrival of June 1, the book closes on the gains and losses formula for 2015 compensatory draft picks.
Here’s the 49ers’ final tally for this offseason:
Gains
S Antoine Bethea (UFA from Colts)
CB Chris Cook (UFA from Vikings)
Losses
S Donte Whitner (UFA to Browns)
CB Tarell Brown (UFA to Raiders)
RB Anthony Dixon (UFA to Bills)
WR Mario Manningham (UFA to Giants)
QB Colt McCoy (UFA to Washington)
[MAIOCCO: Rogers off 49ers books, opens room for Kap extension]
Compensatory free agents are determined by a secret formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors, according to the NFL. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula. Players who were released, such as cornerback Carlos Rogers, do not count as gains or losses.
Manningham and McCoy, as well as Cook, signed low-level deals, so they would likely have to play a lot this season to qualify. Therefore, the 49ers had one gain and three losses. The 49ers are likely to gain two compensatory picks in the 2015 draft.
At this point, it’s just a guess, but the 49ers could get picks at the ends of the sixth and seventh rounds. One of those picks could turn into a fourth-round selection when the NFL factors in the end-of-season criteria if Whitner’s loss is not offset by the gain of Bethea. But that will not be determined until after the season. The NFL typically announces compensatory picks in March.
The only unsigned 49ers free agent is center Jonathan Goodwin. Even at this point if he signs with the New Orleans Saints, with whom he visited in April, he would not count as a loss because of the June 1 cutoff date for signings to count in the formula. Likewise, if the 49ers sign a free agent, such as special-teamer Blake Costanzo, he would not be considered a “gain.”
