NEW YORK -- The Carolina Panthers were awarded three compensatory picks for April's NFL draft after losing defensive end Julius Peppers to free agency before last season.
The NFL allotted selections to 23 teams Friday, beginning with a third-rounder (97th overall) to Carolina, which also has the No. 1 overall choice after going 2-14 last season. Peppers had an All-Pro season with the Chicago Bears, and the Panthers also lost quarterback A.J Feeley to the St. Louis Rams.
The Tennessee Titans, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers each received two additional picks.
Overall, 32 compensatory choices were given. Teams landing one apiece were the Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Oakland Raiders, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Buffalo Bills, Cincinnati Bengals, Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins and Houston Texans.
The Titans lost defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch and tight end Alge Crumpler, but they added defensive end Jason Babin as a free agent, and he went to the Pro Bowl. Tennessee was awarded a fourth-round pick (130th overall) and a seventh-round pick (250th).
Green Bay's compensatory spot came because it lost defensive end Aaron Kampman to the Jacksonville Jaguars without adding any significant free agents last year. The Packers were given a fourth-round pick, one spot behind the Titans'.
Baltimore will pick at the 164th and 165th spots in the fifth round. The Ravens lost defensive linemen Justin Bannan and Dwan Edwards.
San Diego's compensatory picks (201st and 233rd) came for the departures of tight end Brandon Manumaleuna and wide receiver Kaseem Osgood. Philadelphia will have two extra picks in the seventh round for losing Babin and safety Sean Jones. San Francisco's two compensatory seventh-round selections came for losing wide receiver Arnaz Battle and offensive tackle Tony Pashos but signing Carr.
Since 1994, the first year that compensatory draft picks were awarded, 555 have been handed out. Baltimore has received the most, 31, and Cleveland the least, two.
Of teams in the league since '94, the New York Jets have received the fewest, five.
Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press
