The Patriots were granted a league-high four compensatory draft picks Monday afternoon at the NFL Meetings.

Based on their free agent losses from last offseason, New England received three extra seventh-round picks and one extra sixth-round selection. The Patriots now have 12 draft picks in next month’s draft, including two in the sixth round and an astounding five selections in the seventh round. While the compensatory picks cannot be included as part of a trade, they can give a team more flexibility when it comes to pulling off a draft day trade.

The league uses an abstract formula to determine compensatory picks, one that includes total free agents gained and lost the previous offseason, as well as how those players performed with their new teams. A team can receive a maximum of four picks, and they could fall anywhere between the end of the third round and the end of the seventh round.

The Patriots suffered five departures in free agency last offseason — wide receiver Jabar Gaffney (who likely drew the sixth-round pick), long snapper Lonie Paxton, fullback Heath Evans, running back LaMont Jordan and linebacker/special teamer Larry Izzo.

Trailing New England were Carolina, Pittsburgh and Tennessee, which were each awarded three additional picks.