Get ready for the next wave of NFL free agency

The window for compensatory picks closes today, and players like LeGarrette Blount and Michael Floyd may find new NFL homes now.

The window for NFL teams to receive compensatory picks for free agent departures closes today. It may lead to some of the bigger names still on the market to finally find their NFL homes for next season.

The league awards compensatory picks in the draft for teams that lost more players to free agency than they gained, but only for the first two months of the free agency period. Now that it’s expired, perhaps we’ll see players like LeGarrette Blount and Michael Floyd finally sign with new teams.

The Patriots are in line to receive two compensatory picks next season, according to Over The Cap, for the departures of Martellus Bennett and Jabaal Sheard. Once Blount and Floyd do sign with new teams, New England won’t see any additional benefit. Likewise, if the Patriots sign a player who’s still on the market, they won’t lose either of the picks they’re slated to get.

This should appeal to teams interested in landing remaining free agents because it won’t detract from any compensatory picks those teams are already set to receive.

There are several players still available in free agency, like tackle Ryan Clady and center Nick Mangold, who may be more likely to get signed now that teams know it wouldn’t change next year’s compensatory picks. Clady has some injury concerns, and Mangold’s age may be a deterrent, but they’re both stalwart veterans who could help teams with offensive line concerns.

On defense, the top player remaining on our list is linebacker Gerald Hodges. Hodges had three sacks, two interceptions, and 83 total tackles last year for the 49ers, and it’s a bit of a surprise he’s still available. Perhaps the close of the compensatory pick window is what teams were waiting on with Hodges.

It’s a good time for teams to snag these remaining free agents, because it’s still early in the offseason program. Now that compensatory picks aren’t part of the equation, if they do sign with new teams, players will have plenty of time to acclimate before training camp and the preseason begin.