Hamlin’s season comes to end

KIRKLAND, Wash. – While he continues to recover from head injuries suffered in an Oct. 17 incident, Seattle Seahawks safety Ken Hamlin officially saw his chances of playing this season come to an end Tuesday.

Hamlin was placed on the reserve/non-football injury list, ending his season.

Hamlin suffered a fractured skull and brain injuries in the hours after Seattle’s 42-10 win over the Houston Texans on Oct. 16. He was released from Harborview Medical Center less than a week later and has since been recovering at his Seattle-area home.

Coach Mike Holmgren said Monday that Hamlin’s health has progressed in recent days.

“The encouraging thing to me from the report I got (Monday) is he is feeling better,” Holmgren said. “His headaches are not as intense. He can back off some of his medications, which is encouraging.”

Marquand Manuel started in Hamlin’s spot at free safety in the win over Dallas 10 days ago and had eight tackles.

Hamlin had been the Seahawks’ starting free safety since coming into the league as a second-round pick in 2003.

Teams are not required to pay the salaries of players on the reserve/non-football injury list, but the Seahawks confirmed that they intend to honor the $305,000 in base salary Hamlin is due this season.

Engram appears ready for return

One month removed from his rib injury, wide receiver Bobby Engram is eager to be back on the field today. The Seahawks receiver has missed the past three games with two cracked ribs.

“It’s tough not being able to go out there and play; I enjoy playing the game,” he said. “But it’s a necessary evil that I have to get myself healthy, get back out there and help these guys during the stretch run.”

Holmgren said that he expects Engram to be ready to play in Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals. Engram did his coach one better.

“I’m playing,” said Engram, who caught nine passes in his last game despite suffering the two broken ribs on Seattle’s first offensive play.

The Seahawks have weathered the storm without Engram and fellow starter Darrell Jackson, but the absence of both starting receivers was apparent at times in the comeback win over Dallas 10 days ago.

“Obviously, when you lose Bobby and Darrell, it’s really tough on your team,” quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said Monday. “We’ve done a good job of not making that an issue, but having Bobby back this week will be great.”

No one is more excited than Engram.

“I watched a ton of football,” he said. “I’m tired of watching. I’m ready to play.”

Quick slants

The Seahawks added defensive end Nathaniel Adibi to their practice squad. Adibi is a second-year player from Virginia Tech. … The Seahawks held their weekly tryouts for several players, and Cascade High School graduate Blake Walker was scheduled to be among them. Walker is a long snapper who played collegiately at Central Washington University.