Ben Hamilton Falls on Ankle of Seahawks' Comp Picks

The Seahawks have been awarded only a 7th-round compensatory draft pick this year, per Brian McIntyre.

Whereas it was believed that the loss of WR Nate Burleson and DT Cory Redding might net Seattle a couple of higher picks, potentially as high as a fourth and sixth, fate found a way to bereave Seattle of both. Burleson's loss was cancelled out by the signing of G Ben Hamilton, while Redding was apparently removed from consideration entirely by a league rule that prevents the comp formula from being gamed by restructured contracts like Redding's - Seattle eliminated the last few years of his contract to make him a free agent after 2009.

And even then, the Seahawks' 7th-round pick appears to be a consolatory loophole.

My logical response is to heave a sigh and grudgingly admit that it makes sense. My self-indulgent emotional response is to grumble about Ben Hamilton, whose biggest contribution to Seattle's line was to fall on and injure Russell Okung's ankle. Hamilton was injury-prone and weakened to begin with, and only signed because of connections with an O-line coach who didn't even stick around until training camp. He didn't even play the whole season (although neither did his counter-balance in the equation, Burleson). Talk about adding insult to injury.

In the end, a fourth-round pick was unlikely to shake the Seahawks world anyway, and it was very possible that fourth would actually have been a fifth due to Burleson's contract being lower than reported and the time he lost to injury struggles. The greatest draft impact by far will still come from the first two picks. It was nice to have something to hope for during the offseason, though.

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