Drafting quality players is one of the building blocks to establishing a successful NFL franchise. Teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Philadelphia Eagles, and Baltimore Ravens have become perennial contenders because of their ability to draft and develop. Although it continues to increase, the NFL’s salary cap keeps things competitive by preventing teams from retaining all of their best players. Drafting and developing is only half of the battle, and the top organizations remain at the top because of their ability to handle attrition.
How the Baltimore Ravens Mastered the Compensatory Pick Formula
Part of what makes managing attrition possible is the compensatory pick formula, which the NFL implemented in 1994. In a nutshell, when a team loses a player to free agency, they are awarded a compensatory pick in the upcoming NFL draft. Compensatory picks are awarded in rounds three through seven. To qualify for the formula, teams need to lose more free agents than they sign in free agency. This formula has become refined and mastered by clubs like the Ravens, Packers, and Cowboys.
Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, the Baltimore Ravens are tied for having the most compensatory picks with four. Since the NFL introduced the compensatory pick formula, the Ravens have used it to acquire more picks than any other team in the NFL. How did they do it, and how do they continue to be successful using the formula?
The Ravens Know Who To Draft
Few teams have built as deep and talented rosters as the Ravens have since the turn of the century. With countless factors to account for, team-building is more of an art than a science. Seeing Baltimore regularly hit on draft picks might leave some scratching their heads, but it comes down to quality scouting. Luck, naturally, plays into the draft, but Baltimore is as good at identifying talent as any team in the NFL.
From trading up for Lamar Jackson in 2018, to patiently waiting for Kyle Hamilton to fall into their laps in 2022, the Ravens have been known to find All-Pro talents early and often in the NFL draft. It goes beyond that, though. Baltimore has found impact players in later rounds, like Mark Andrews (3rd round, 2018), Matt Judon (5th round, 2016), Orlando Brown (3rd round, 2018), and Isaiah Likely (4th round, 2022), to name a few.
They’ve also been the team to draft future gems like Kyle Juszczyk (4th round, 2013), Za’Darius Smith (4th round, 2015), and Darren Waller (6th round, 2015) who had some of their best seasons outside of Baltimore. That’s without even mentioning their impressive track record of signing quality undrafted free agents over the years.
The Ravens Know Who To Keep
Lamar Jackson, Marlon Humphrey, and Andrews are all cornerstone players for the Ravens, and each have been retained under big contracts over the years. While the compensatory pick formula can help fill holes, good teams stay good by keeping their best talent. Rarely do premier players hit free agency, and the Ravens have been as good as any team at knowing who to keep when it’s time to pay up.
Ronnie Stanley was arguably the top free agent available in 2025. The Baltimore Ravens paid a hefty price to keep Stanley, but they knew he was too good to let walk. At best, Baltimore would have received a third round pick in 2026, had Stanley signed elsewhere. Franchise left tackles are hard enough to find, let alone in the third round. Stanley sticking in Baltimore is a sign of the franchise being well run, and made both parties happy.
Justin Madubuike in 2024 was another example of a home-grown player the Ravens decided to pay. His services were sought after by several teams around the league, but, like with Stanley, the organization knew how important a player at Madubuike’s position is for a team. Going forward, players like Hamilton, Likely, and Zay Flowers should have a strong chance of staying in Baltimore, given how valuable they are for the team.
The Ravens Know When To Let Go
By no means have the Ravens found the perfect system to letting certain players go and resigning others. From Sammy Watkins and Jadeveon Clowney to Marcus Peters and Justin Houston, the Ravens have not been afraid to bring in former blue-chip players at the end of their careers. Some have panned out, while others have failed.
For every example of a 2022 Justin Houston, there’s a 2024 version of Patrick Queen out there. Last offseason, Queen signed with the rival Pittsburgh Steelers and was named to a Pro Bowl in his first year away from Baltimore. That sort of thing can sting, but it’s part of the attrition process and the Ravens are equipped to handle those losses. Just this offseason, they let Patrick Mekari, a versatile player on their offensive line, sign with the Jacksonville Jaguars, leaving them with a new area to address in the draft.
Part of what makes Baltimore’s approach so successful and allows them to let players walk without overpaying is the fact that they have a stable front office. Since 1996, there have only been two General Managers in Baltimore: Ozzie Newsome and Eric DeCosta. Before taking the reins in 2019, DeCosta was groomed to become Newsome’s successor. Similar to Green Bay and Dallas, consistency in the front office has led to quality drafting and steady results.
Without drafting well, the Ravens would not be able to take as many chances on seasoned veterans who might still have enough juice in the tank. More often than not, the Ravens know when to let go of a player. Having mastered the compensatory pick formula, there’s little reason to think that Baltimore will surrender its position as one of the top organizations in the NFL anytime soon.
Main Image: Kirby Lee – USA Today Sports
The post How the Baltimore Ravens Mastered the Compensatory Pick Formula appeared first on Last Word on Pro Football.