The Panthers used a seventh-round compensatory draft choice in 2008 to select guard Mackenzy Bernadeau.*
Carolina has been awarded three compensatory draft choices in the 2010 NFL Draft, the NFL announced Monday. The Panthers received two sixth-round selections (202nd and 204th overall) and a seventh-round pick (249th overall), giving them a total of eight in next month's draft.
Under terms of the NFL collective bargaining agreement, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires during the previous year's free agency period, beginning with the first day of the league year through June 1, could be eligible to receive compensatory picks in the following year's draft. Most often, a compensatory free agent is a player who was signed or lost in the category of unrestricted free agent.
A team may receive compensatory picks equal to the net loss of qualifying compensatory free agents from the previous league year, up to a maximum of four. The number of choices awarded is determined by a formula - developed by the NFL Management Council - that is based on salary, playing time and postseason honors of both the players lost and signed. Not every free agent lost by a club results in a compensatory selection.
In 2009, the Panthers lost offensive lineman Geoff Hangartner, kick returner Mark Jones and tackle Frank Omiyale and did not sign any unrestricted free agents.
The extra draft choices will supplement the Panthers' other five selections in the seven-round draft April 22-24. In addition to the three compensatories, Carolina also has picks in second, third, fourth, sixth (from Oakland) and seventh rounds. They traded their first-rounder to San Francisco in order to draft defensive end Everette Brown and running back Mike Goodson last year, fifth-rounder to Kansas City for defensive tackle Tank Tyler, and sixth-rounder to Cleveland for defensive tackle Louis Leonard.
The Panthers were last awarded compensatory choices in 2008. Carolina has received 10 total compensatory selections in franchise history: one in 1998, one in 2002, three in 2005, two in 2008 and three in 2010.
