The Seahawks’ regular season opener against the Rams is just two days away, and safety Kam Chancellor still hasn’t reported to the team, as he continues his holdout. However, despite the fact that Chancellor will miss the club’s Week 1 game, Seattle defensive coordinator Kris Richard is optimistic about the situation, believing both sides are working hard to get the star defender back on the field.
“We stay in contact and really we’re all encouraged by it,” Richard said, per Curtis Crabtree of Pro Football Talk. “We want him here. He wants to be here and right now both sides are working. Both sides are working. Everybody cares. Everybody wants the right thing. Everybody wants him here. … Ultimately, we’re encouraged by it. He’s involved. He’s with us. He’s still here. He’s taken his stand and we’re just waiting to get him back.”
If Chancellor misses significant regular season action, it would be the first time since Carson Palmer sat out six games for the Bengals in 2011 that a player’s holdout has extended that far into the regular season. In Palmer’s case, he never returned to the field for Cincinnati, as the team ultimately traded him to the Raiders. However, Richard doesn’t seem to believe that outcome is likely for Chancellor, suggesting he’d be surprised if the safety missed a big portion of the season.
“It’s because we know how much this game, this team means to him,” Richard said. “Right now he’s taking a stand where he’s taken it. There’s ultimate support on both sides. The closeness. The real relationships. Who we are. Who he is. That will not change.”
For his part, Chancellor also discussed his holdout earlier this week, suggesting that he has been open to reaching a compromise with the team, and insisting he’s not seeking a raise — he just wants money from later in his contract moved up by a year.