49ers will receive a fifth-round comp pick for Sanders; Williams if he walks in 2021

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about what the San Francisco 49ers will receive compensation wise next year for Emmanuel Sanders in the 2021 NFL Draft. Also, what if Trent Williams walks in free agency? What will the 49ers receive? OverTheCap does a fantastic job explaining how the compensatory formulas work for NFL veterans. They currently project the 49ers to receive a fifth-round compensatory pick for Sanders. The year 2020 will be Sanders’ tenth year in the NFL as he was drafted in 2010—as was Williams. Ten-year veterans are capped at fifth-round compensatory picks, per OvertheCap. So even if Williams were to walk in free agency and sign a lucrative contract next offseason, or if Sanders has a career year, the 49ers wouldn’t get anything higher than a fifth-round comp pick.

William’s situation is a bit trickier since he didn’t play in 2019. He did, however, return to Washington in November, where they placed Williams on the Non-football injury—a roster designation used in the NFL for players who can practice as a result of conditions unrelated to football, or injuries that did not occur during NFL games or practices—and that gave Williams his tenth year.

Matt Maiocco tweeted Wednesday night that the 49ers did not ask five unrestricted free agents to re-sign, and they will no longer count toward the Niners’ comp formula:

WR Jordan Matthews

DE Damontre Moore

TE Garrett Celek (retired)

DT Earl Mitchell (retired)

LS Jon Condo (retired)