Pete Carroll isn’t interested in exploring any trade offers for safety Kam Chancellor.
The Seattle Seahawks head coach confirmed rumors that multiple teams have inquired about the three-time Pro Bowl safety, however. Based on his comments on the matter, though, there isn’t any way the team would seriously consider making a deal.
“There have been a couple of phone calls from other teams, people just kind of wondering what is going on,” Carroll said, via Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. “We’re really not interested in talking to them about that, so we just don’t.”
Chancellor is disgruntled because he’s not in line to get paid like a top safety. He is currently in the third year of a five-year contract after negotiating a four-year extension back in 2013. His base salary is $4.55 million.
Should Chancellor continue holding out through the regular season, he’ll miss out on $267,647 per game.
The Seahawks would obviously like to have their bone-crushing enforcer on the field once the action begins this weekend. That said, the coaching staff is prepared to move on without him, and second-year safety Dion Bailey is waiting in the wings.
“We are ready to start Dion and go,” Carroll said. “He’s ready to play football. He had a good preseason. He’s ready to go.”
The team also traded a fifth-round pick to the Kansas City Chiefs for Kelcie McCray, who was brought on for depth. The move also clearly signaled the team’s unwillingness to cave to Chancellor’s demand for a new contract.
At this point, Chancellor must realize his tantrum won’t get him what he wants. The best thing he can do is just return to the team and move on. He’s not going to get a shiny new contract with three years left on his current deal, and there isn’t really anything left to do but give up the fight.