Seahawks soldier on with no knowledge of Kam Chancellor’s plans

RENTON, Wash. – There was no change in Kam Chancellor’s status on the sixth day of Seattle Seahawks training camp, as the strong safety again was a no-show, continuing his holdout as he seeks a better contract.

There appeared to be a change in the team’s attitude about it, though, as coach Pete Carroll struck a somewhat different tone in his comments about Chancellor’s situation than he had earlier in training camp.

Sunday, Carroll said now that quarterback Russell Wilson and linebacker Bobby Wagner had received contract extensions, the Seahawks could resume the work of getting Chancellor back “as soon as possible.”

But Wednesday, Carroll said he had not spoken with Chancellor in a few days and said he had no idea when the sixth-year player from Virginia Tech might return.

“There’s been no exchange to tell that,” Carroll said. “I’d love to talk to him. Haven’t talked to him in a couple of days.”

In his first comments on the topic, general manager John Schneider said in an interview with SiriusXM NFL Radio he had no idea when Chancellor might be back. Asked if he had an expectation whether Chancellor would report soon, Schneider said: “You know, I don’t know at this point. From an expectations standpoint I can’t tell you. I don’t have the answer to it.”

The comments came on a day when the financial penalties for Chancellor’s holdout also began to change.

Per league rules, the Seahawks can fine Chancellor $30,000 for every day he has missed, making for a total of $180,000 so far.

The sixth missed day, though, also meant the Seahawks can now recoup up to 15 percent of his signing bonus prorated for the 2015 season. Chancellor’s bonus counts for $1 million against the cap this year, meaning the Seahawks could ask Chancellor to repay $150,000, making for $330,000 so far Chancellor could be fined. Such fines are at team discretion, though, and often waived once a player reports, as happened last year when running back Marshawn Lynch held out for a week.

Chancellor has not spoken publicly since his holdout began, so it remains unclear what he is seeking other than more money. He signed an extension in April 2013 that goes through the 2017 season and pays him $4.5 million this season. However, Chancellor has received all of the $17 million guaranteed in his contract.

The Seahawks have a stated policy of not redoing contracts with more than a year remaining. The team made alterations with Lynch last year to guarantee an additional $1.5 million of money already in his contract – a deal that apparently was on the table for Lynch before his holdout – and Chancellor could be seeking something similar.

In the SiriusXM interview, Schneider reiterated the team doesn’t plan to change its mode of operation for Chancellor.

“We all miss him,” Schneider said of Chancellor. “I think it’s just a bummer for everybody involved in the situation. We’ve had a plan in place here for several years. Kam was one of the first players that we drafted that we were able to reward with one year left on his contract. You know it’s personal because you have so much emotional and personal feelings for the player.

“But at the end of the day, you have to stick to your plan and your philosophy, and that’s what has to guide you rather than that we all love this guy. It’s about the team. It’s the ultimate team sport, and in order for us to be a consistent championship-caliber team we have to continue to conduct business the way that we always have.”

Schneider said the team has been in contact with Chancellor and his agent, Alvin Keels, and that there is “no animosity.”

Joel Corry, a former player agent who writes about salary-cap issues for CBS-Sports.com, said the Seahawks’ comments Wednesday were “what they should be saying.”

Corry noted Chancellor remains among the top-paid strong safeties in the NFL and no one has signed a contract for significantly more money since Chancellor signed in 2013.

“Nothing has really changed in the market since he signed,” Corry said. “So he’s out of line.”

Corry said the Seahawks could try something similar to what they did with Lynch, such as guaranteeing a portion of a future year’s base salary. But he said redoing the deal would set a bad precedent and added that it’s more important than ever for Seattle to hold a firm stance.