Kam Chancellor breaks silence about holdout, says he’s ‘willing to meet the Seahawks half way’
Sep 9, 2015, 5:29 PM | Updated: 5:36 pm
Kam Chancellor said he's not asking for a raise in 2015 but for the team to move up future money. (AP)
(AP)
BY
Former Seattle Sports Lead Editor
RENTON – Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor has finally broken his media silence about his holdout, telling an NFL Network anchor that he’s not seeking any new money, that the two sides are less than $1 million apart and that he’s been willing to meet the team “half way.”
Here’s a transcript of what Dan Hellie said on the NFL Network Wednesday:
“I exchanged messages with Kam Chancellor earlier today. He told me he feels like this whole thing could be over by now. Kam says he’s been willing to meet the Seahawks half way. He says the two sides [are] less than $1 million apart at this point. He actually used the term ‘petty.’ So in a nutshell, he told me that he’s not asking for more money; he wants the money to be moved from the 2017 season to next season with no additional money this season.
“I said, ‘Hey, Kam, what about re-doing a contract that has three years left?’ He told me he doesn’t want to wait until he’s almost 30.”
Here’s a link to the video of what Chancellor told Hellie. It also includes comments from Ian Rapoport, who said the Seahawks and Chancellor are “not close at all” on reaching a resolution but that “this can turn immediately.”
Chancellor has three years and $16.875 million remaining on the extension he signed before the 2013 season, though none of that is guaranteed beyond this season, during which he’s scheduled to make $4.55 million in base salary. His base salaries the next two seasons are $5.1 million in 2016 and $6.8 million in 2017.
Chancellor is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2017 season – at which point he’ll be 29 – though he would not accrue a season toward free agency if he continues to hold out all season.
The first public comments from Chancellor about his holdout come – perhaps not coincidentally – hours after Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters that he’s “very much” disappointed in the situation.
“I think everybody should be because he’s been a great part of our team,” Carroll said. “It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this and he’s not here.”
