Hiring cycle creates four extra third-round picks for 2021

[Poe the Raven]

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With the 2021 hiring cycle ended, extra draft picks eventually will be awarded to teams who lost minority candidates to coaching or G.M. jobs elsewhere.

Four teams will receive multiple third-round picks in the 2021 draft as a result of the hiring of Brad Holmes from the Rams to be G.M. of the Lions, Terry Fontenot from the Saints to be G.M. of the Falcons, Robert Saleh from the 49ers to be coach of the Jets and Martin Mayhew from the 49ers to be G.M. of Washington, and David Culley from the Ravens to be coach of the Texans.

The 49ers, because they lost two minority employees to promotions elsewhere, will receive an extra third-round pick in each of the next three years. The Ravens will get third-round picks in 2021 and 2022 due to the Texans’ hiring Culley, even though Culley was not a coordinator.

Some were concerned that the award of multiple third-round picks as an incentive to develop minority candidates could potentially operate as a disincentive to hire a minority coach or G.M. from another team, since that team will secure dibs on two extra players closer to the top than the bottom of the draft. Some believed that would boost opportunities for minority General Managers not currently connected to specific teams. However, candidates like Jerry Reese, Rick Smith, and Louis Riddick were not hired.

It remains to be seen whether the league will do more to promote minority hiring. The current cycle resulted in two new minority General Managers and two new minority head coaches. With the Chargers firing Anthony Lynn, the hiring of David Culley by the Texans keeps the total number of Black head coaches at three.