Mar 10, 2021 3 min read

Steelers get one compensatory pick

The Dallas Cowboys have been awarded the maximum four compensatory picks in April’s NFL draft, while the Atlanta Falcons and Green Bay Packers will get three apiece.

The NFL announced Wednesday that there will be 32 such picks this year. Carolina, Chicago, Kansas City, the Los Angeles Rams, Minnesota, New England, New Orleans and Philadelphia get two apiece. Baltimore, the Los Angeles Chargers, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Tampa Bay and Tennessee will have one each.

Pittsburgh’s selection will be 35th pick in the fourth round.

Compensatory selections are awarded to a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year. Those spots are positioned from the third through sixth rounds of the draft based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost. That value is determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors and was developed by the NFL’s management council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by the formula.

But this year, the league also is giving five special compensatory selections to four teams – the 49ers (two), Rams, Ravens, and Saints – for promoting equal employment opportunities and an inclusive workforce. That initiative provides that the previous team of a minority employee who has been hired by another club as its head coach or general manager will receive compensation in the third round of each of the next two drafts, or in each of the next three drafts if two minority employees are hired for these positions by another club or clubs.

NFL sets salary cap

Like Lamar Jackson under pressure from the pass rush, let the scrambling begin.

The NFL’s salary cap will be $182.5 million per team in the upcoming season, a drop of 8% from 2020. The league’s loss of revenues due to the coronavirus pandemic caused the first decrease in the cap since 2011, which followed an uncapped season.

Free agency begins next Wednesday, though the “legal tampering” period starts Monday.

The NFL is close to agreement on extensions of its broadcast contracts, but those deals will not affect the 2021 season. At least the current cap is $2.5 million higher than projected last month. Last summer, the players’ union and league agreed to a cap minimum of $175 million, but that number jumped by $5 million in February and was set at $182.5 million on Wednesday.

The Rams currently are $41 million beyond the cap. The Eagles were over by about $35 million and the Saints by $33 million.

On the other side of the ledger, the Jets, Patriots and Jaguars had the most money available, ranging from $65 million to $67 million.

Long out at Kansas

Kansas athletic director Jeff Long resigned Wednesday, less than two days after the school mutually parted with Les Miles amid sexual misconduct allegations dating to the football coach’s time at LSU and one day after Long vowed he would lead the Jayhawks’ search for a replacement.

College softball

Sophomore pitcher Ellie Lobdell set a career high with 11 strikeouts Wednesday as California University split a doubleheader at Gannon in PSAC West play. Cal won the opener 4-1 victory before suffering a 3-0 loss in Game 2.

Lobdell threw a complete-game victory to improve to 2-0. She allowed one run on seven hits and two walks.