Kampman signed a lucrative free-agent contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars at the start of last year's free agency period and it resulted in a net loss for the Packers in free agency. The NFL employs a formula for determining net loss or net gain in free agency and awards compensatory picks accordingly.
In eight games with the Jaguars, Kampman was on his way to one of the best seasons of his career with 55 tackles, four sacks, a team-high 30 quarterback pressures, four tackles for loss and three passes-defensed. He sustained a torn anterior cruciate ligament in practice at midseason, however, marking the second consecutive year Kampman's season was ended by an ACL injury.
The compensatory pick the Packers received is the third-highest awarded by the league. Carolina got the highest compensatory pick, a third-rounder for having lost defensive end Julius Peppers, and Tennessee received a fourth-round pick that is one spot higher in the draft than the compensatory pick the Packers received.
Offensive linemen Josh Sitton and Scott Wells are recent compensatory picks currently on the Packers' roster.
In a statement released by the NFL on Friday afternoon:
"A total of 32 compensatory choices in the 2011 NFL Draft have been awarded to 23 teams. Under the rules for compensatory draft selections, a team losing more or better compensatory free agents than it acquires in the previous year is eligible to receive compensatory draft picks.
"The number of picks a team receives equals the net loss of compensatory free agents up to a maximum of four. The 32 compensatory choices announced will supplement the 221 choices in the seven rounds of the 2011 NFL Draft (April 28-30), which will kick off in primetime for the second consecutive year. The first round will be held on Thursday, April 28, and begin at eight p.m. ET. The second and third rounds are set for Friday, April 29, at six p.m. ET, followed by rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 30, at noon ET.
"This year, the compensatory picks will be positioned within the third through seventh rounds based on the value of the compensatory free agents lost. Compensatory free agents are determined by a formula based on salary, playing time and postseason honors. The formula was developed by the NFL management council. Not every free agent lost or signed by a club is covered by this formula."
Vic Ketchman is a veteran of 39 NFL seasons and has covered the Steelers and Jaguars prior to coming to Green Bay.
