The NFL awarded compensatory draft picks Tuesday and the Bears got exactly what they expected — and needed.
They received a fourth-round pick (No. 140 overall) because of safety Adrian Amos leaving for the Packers in free agency a year ago. That gives them eight picks, and it’s one of their top three.
It’s their first compensatory pick since 2009. Those selections are awarded by the NFL based on a formula that takes into account who they gained and lost in free agency the previous offseason.
Amos was the Bears’ most significant departure, and their biggest signings were safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, special teams ace Cordarrelle Patterson and cornerback Buster Skrine. They also signed running back Mike Davis, but they cut him early enough in the season that he did not count toward their acquisitions.
After stripping down their 2020 draft stock mainly in trades for Khalil Mack and David Montgomery, this is what they have: Nos. 43 and 50 in the second round, the fourth-round compensatory pick, a fifth-rounder, two in the sixth and two in the seventh.