NFL free agency and 49ers compensation picks for the 2015 NFL Draft

Earlier this morning, wide receiver Mario Manningham signed a one year contract with the New York Giants. There is no word on the specifics, although given that Manningham is coming off an injury, the odds are pretty good it is at or near veteran minimum.

When word of the Manningham news came out, there was some discussion about how it impacted potential 2015 compensation picks for the 49ers. The NFL will announce 2014 compensation picks at next week's owners' meetings. Those are based on 2013 free agency additions and losses. The 49ers are expected to get a fourth round pick to compensate for the loss of Dashon Goldson.

The 2015 comp picks are based on the current free agency period. The 49ers have signed two free agents, and seen four free agents depart for other teams. It is not as simple as player's coming and going. The two most notable rules for our purposes are: 1) Players that make the league minimum will not qualify, and 2) players that are released and then sign elsewhere do not qualify. For the latter rule, that means if Carlos Rogers signs somewhere, he will not count toward the comp pick equation.

In looking through our 49ers roster tracker, I grabbed the various transactions, and put together a quick contract rundown below. The 49ers signing of Antoine Bethea to a 4-year deal will count as an addition, but the signing of Chris Cook to a league minimum deal will not count. The departures of Donte Whitner, Tarell Brown and Anthony Dixon all should count as loss, but the loss of Mario Manningham probably will not count. We don't know Manningham's contract, but I expect it to be for the league minimum. If it is more than that, then he could factor into the equation.

That means that for now, the 49ers could very well be looking at two comp picks in 2015. They still have free agents on the market, but Colt McCoy, Perrish Cox, and Kassim Osgood are likely looking at deals at or near the league minimum. Jonathan Goodwin might be able to find more than that, but he also has suggested he might retire if the deals aren't there.

I don't know nearly enough about the comp pick equations to project what picks would be available. I imagine Bethea and Whitner would net out, leaving Dixon and Brown's contracts as those that would provide us with the 49ers comp picks. If I had to guess, Dixon maybe ends up as a 7th, and Brown as a 5th or 6th? I'm just spit-balling, so feel free to offer up your own thoughts.

49ERS ADDITIONS

Antoine Bethea

Signing Bonus: $5,000,000

2014 Base: $1,250,000
Roster Bonus: $400,000
Workout Bonus: $100,000

2015 Base: $3,000,000
Roster Bonus: $400,000
Workout Bonus: $100,000

2016 Base: $4,500,000
Roster Bonus: $400,000
Workout Bonus: $100,000

2017 Base: $5,250,000
Roster Bonus: $400,000
Workout Bonus: $100,000

Chris Cook

2014 Base: $730,000

49ERS LOSSES

Donte Whitner

Signing Bonus: $9,000,000

2014 Base: $2,000,000
2015 Base: $4,500,000
2016 Base: $6,200,000
2017 Base: 6,300,000

Tarell Brown

Signing Bonus: $2,000,000

2014 Base: $1,400,000
2014 Workout Bonus: $100,000

Anthony Dixon

Signing Bonus: $500,000

2014
Base: $800,000
Workout Bonus: $50,000

2015
Base: $850,000
Roster Bonus: $100,000
Workout Bonus: $50,000

2016
Base: $1,000,000
Roster Bonus: $100,000
Workout Bonus: $50,000

Mario Manningham

2014
Base: $730,000
Roster Bonus: $25,000
Workout Bonus: $15,000