Dolphins Not Projected To Receive Fourth Round Compensatory Pick

We've spoken at length about the trade that took place on the second night of the 2016 NFL Draft between the Minnesota Vikings and the Miami Dolphins. In exchange for the 86th overall pick, the Dolphins sent the Vikings the 186th overall pick (sixth round), a third-round choice in the 2017 NFL Draft, and what was deemed a "conditional" fourth-round choice in 2017.

We mentioned that the "conditions" surrounding that pick were that it would be the lowest selection that Miami had in the fourth round. . .meaning that if they received a fourth-round Compensatory draft choice, that's the pick that would go to Minnesota (as 2017 will be the first time that Compensatory picks will be up for trade). If they did not receive a fourth-round Compensatory pick, the Vikings would get Miami's regularly allotted fourth-round selection. There were no such conditions placed on the third-round choice.

Being that we're now about twelve hours removed from the end of the 2016 Draft, it's time to start looking at the 2017 NFL Draft, apparently. The folks at Over the Cap are no exception, and they've already started projection which teams will be receiving Compensatory draft picks in 2017 and where those picks would fall.

Compensatory picks are only given in Rounds 3 through 7, and according to the NFL

Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL Management Council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula.

The current projections from Over the Cap have the Dolphins receiving a Compensatory selection in the third round (for the loss of defensive end Olivier Vernon) and one in the fifth round (for the loss of running back Lamar Miller), but not one in the fourth round. That means that Minnesota would receive the Dolphins' normal fourth-round selection unless something were to drastically change between now and next March.

Based entirely on some of the Vegas odds that are floating around the internet at the present time, the Dolphins aren't projected to have a whole lot of success in 2016. . .according to Vegas Insider, they're part of a group of teams that are currently at 60/1 to win Super Bowl LI. Only six teams have worse projected odds at this point. If that holds true to form, those two picks that the Vikings will be receiving from the Dolphins could be pretty high up in the third and fourth rounds of next year's Draft.