Colts projected to add two compensatory 2026 seventh-round picks

E.J. Speed and Joe Flacco played and inked enough in free agency to project the Colts as compensatory pick winners.

Although the NFL Draft has concluded, we now look ahead at next year’s cycle. While way-too-early mock drafts and prospect rankings have already gotten their time thus far, the 2025 free agency cycle has garnered enough to project its compensatory draft picks for next year.

The NFL awards at least 32 additional picks for certain players, coaches, and executives who depart from their previous teams for each draft cycle. As far as this exercise goes, this is merely a projection that excludes staff departures, though Jason Fitzgerald’s compensatory work at OverTheCap.com is typically sound and can be trusted in the long haul.

Compensatory draft picks can be awarded anywhere throughout the draft starting at the end of the third round. Based on how much you lose versus how much you gain via any given free agency period is a determinant of how many ‘comp picks’ one team can recoup.

As it stands, the Colts are projected to be rewarded two compensatory seventh-round picks for the 2026 NFL Draft due to the departure of free agents E.J. Speed and Joe Flacco.

Although Indy lost bigger-fish candidates to free agency such as guard Will Fries, defensive lineman Dayo Odeyingbo, and center Ryan Kelly, their three additions in this window (quarterback Daniel Jones and defensive backs Charvarius Ward and Camryn Bynum) created a collective value that essentially erased potential compensation.

Via OverTheCap.com

Given that the Colts did not bring in anyone else in free agency that resembled a price tag to that of the aforementioned losses of E.J. Speed and Joe Flacco, the projected compensatory picks remain valid. Once again, this is merely a projection as of now, but the hit rate makes it a valuable resource nonetheless.