The holdout of Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor has ended, as he reported to the team Wednesday morning.
The holdout of Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor has ended, as he reported to the team Wednesday morning.
He reported without receiving a new contract. The Seahawks did not budge from their stance of not wanting to renegotiate a deal that has more than one year remaining. Chancellor’s contract runs through 2017.
Chancellor missed the first two regular-season games in a holdout that began when he missed the first day of training camp July 31 — making it 54 days overall.
He met the media before Wednesday’s practice.
“I’m just happy to be back playing football, happy to be back with the organization and with my teammates,” Chancellor said.
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said the team would not discuss the business end of things but said “Kam’s going to be with us for a long time.”
He will be able to practice with the Seahawks on Wednesday afternoon as they received a roster exemption from the NFL that allows them to carry 54 players for two weeks. The Seahawks would have to release someone off the 53-man roster if Chancellor plays Sunday against the Chicago Bears — that move would have to come 24 hours before game time (meaning, by Saturday). But for now he can practice without the team having to release a player.
Chancellor accrued fines — which are levied at team discretion — of more than $2 million while seeking alterations to a contract that was due to pay him $4.55 million this season. It is uncertain if or how much he would be fined. Chancellor’s fines could include two missed game checks of $267,647 each, bonus money of $500,000 that the team could recoup and daily fines for missing training camp that are close to $1 million.
ESPN reported that Chancellor texted the following to host Stephen A. Smith: “Ima go help my teammates that are understanding of my position and the ones who aren’t. God forgives all, why can’t i? Time to help us get back to the big dance. I can address business after the season. Me and Marshawn started a mission 2 years ago. I can’t let my Dawg down. …Real talk.”
Chancellor’s agent, Alvin Keels, tweeted: “Glad to see Kam back at work. The business side of the sport sucks at times. Some will understand it most won’t! (hashtag)GoHawks”
Chancellor had been said to want $4 million of his 2017 salary moved to 2016.
Wednesday had been viewed as the critical day each week for Chancellor to be back in time to play Sunday, though it remains unclear if he will play in Sunday’s home opener against the Chicago Bears at CenturyLink Field.
Chancellor, asked if he would be ready to play Sunday said “I know I can play.” Carroll interjected that the team will go into the week with the approach that he will play in the game but will take it day by day to gauge his readiness.
Chancellor, 27, was a defensive team captain in 2014 when he was also named to the Pro Bowl for a third time.
His contract, signed in April 2013, increases to base salaries of $5.1 million in 2016 and $6.8 million in 2017.
The Seahawks are 0-2 without Chancellor, losing 34-31 at St. Louis and 27-17 at Green Bay. Dion Bailey started at strong safety in Chancellor’s place against the Rams, and DeShawn Shead against the Packers.
Chancellor had told the Seahawks shortly before camp began that he intended to hold out unless he received a new contract. The Seahawks had been holding firm to their stance of not wanting to alter Chancellor’s contract due to the precedent it would create of renegotiating deals that have more than a year remaining.
Carroll said Monday that “nothing’s changed” in regard to Chancellor, reiterating what had become almost daily statements that the impasse with Chancellor was continuing. The team was apparently unaware Chancellor was reporting until he informed them Wednesday morning.
Seahawks players had grown weary of discussing Chancellor, also not wanting to say his absence had anything to do with the team losing.
“Everybody misses Kam, man,” defensive lineman Michael Bennett said after the loss in Green Bay. “But that’s not why we lost the game. I know that’s what everyone wants to point to, but we had multiple chances of winning both games the last two weeks.”
Chancellor had been thought to be concerned in part that the team could release him before his larger salaries for 2016 and 2017,which also come with bigger salary-cap charges, kick in. Chancellor missed two games last year because of a groin injury and suffered a knee injury on the Friday before the Super Bowl. Chancellor played through that injury as the Seahawks lost to the Patriots.
Chancellor participated in the team’s offseason training program and minicamp and told reporters he felt healthier than he had in years after not needing to have a surgery on the knee.