Packers Awarded Extra 7th-Round Pick in 2026 NFL Draft

The compensatory selection is tied to the departure of safety Darnell Savage in free agency.

Mar. 13, 2026 at 4:23am

The Green Bay Packers have been awarded a 7th-round compensatory pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, giving them a total of 7 picks in the upcoming draft. The extra selection is a result of the league's compensatory pick formula, which rewards teams that lose more valuable free agents than they sign.

Why it matters

Compensatory picks provide valuable late-round assets for the Packers, who have built a reputation for developing overlooked prospects into important contributors. The extra 7th-round pick gives the team's front office additional flexibility as they prepare for the 2026 draft.

The details

The Packers' compensatory pick, the third-to-last selection of the entire draft at No. 255 overall, is primarily tied to the departure of safety Darnell Savage, who signed a significant free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Because Green Bay did not offset that loss with a comparable signing, the league's formula rewarded the team with the extra 7th-round pick.

  • The NFL finalized compensatory selections for the 2026 draft cycle on March 13, 2026.

The players

Brian Gutekunst

The general manager of the Green Bay Packers.

Mark Murphy

The chairman of the Green Bay Packers.

Darnell Savage

A former Packers safety who signed a free agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

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What’s next

The Packers will look to maximize the value of the extra 7th-round pick as they prepare for the 2026 NFL Draft, continuing their track record of finding overlooked talent late in the draft.

The takeaway

The Packers' ability to consistently develop late-round draft picks into valuable contributors is a key part of their sustained success, and the additional 7th-round pick in 2026 provides another opportunity for the team to strengthen its roster through the draft.