Kam Chancellor

NFC Notes: Zeke, Beasley, Seahawks

November 3rd, 2017 at 6:45pm CST by GregGoldstein

It’s been a roller coaster news cycle regarding Ezekiel Elliott‘s six-game suspension since the regular season started. Now in another twist, it appears that if the second-year running back’s suspension is officially handed down in December, the league will force him to sit out through the playoffs, reports Clarence Hill Jr. of the Star Telegram (Twitter link). This news adds another aspect to the ongoing legal feud in that if the team felt that Elliott was going to eventually serve his suspension, wouldn’t they rather him take it now rather than wait till playoff time? It’s an interesting question, and while the 22 year-old has repeatedly stated his intention to fight the league, the issue will remain a cloud over Jerry Jones‘ organization for the rest of the year. Elliott will be allowed to suit up for this Sunday’s game after the United States Court of Appeals granted him a stay earlier in the day.

In other Cowboys news, another pivotal member of the offense is set to play in Week 9 as well. Wide receiver Cole Beasley cleared his final step of concussion protocol today after taking the week trying to recover from his head slamming to the ground in last Sunday’s game versus Washington, according to Brandon George of Dallas News. Beasley stated that he didn’t really suffer any concussion symptoms throughout the week, but was definitely feeling the effects of the contact during the game. “It wasn’t crazy,” Beasley said. “It was just kind of some dizziness when I hit the ground and it only lasted for a little while. I was able to pass most of the concussion test stuff, but some of the stuff we did it started making me kind of nauseous and made feel like I was going to throw up and they held me out.”
The Seahawks are in a tough spot with injuries heading into this week’s contest against Washington. Apart from Earl Thomas potentially missing a few games, the team also may be without defensive starters Sheldon Richardson (oblique) and Bobby Wagner (hamstring) with both players being officially listed as questionable, according to Brady Anderson of ESPN.com. Anderson does report that safety Kam Chancellor will play in Week 9 after dealing with an ankle injury throughout the week. However, losing these three key defensive starters would greatly hurt a Seattle team that is riding a ton of positive momentum after winning their last four games.
Anderson also passes along that Seattle’s newest trade acquisition, tackle Duane Brown, is adjusting to his new team’s offense well because of his experience with the Seahawks zone-blocking scheme, according to head coach Pete Carroll. “He’s done exceptionally well,” Carroll said. “Like we said earlier, the carry-over that he had from six years being in the same system has really ensured that he can make this transition as fast as you possibly could make it.” Brown figures to be a major upgrade at left tackle ahead of the team’s former starter on the blind side, Rees Odhiambo, who ranks as the worst qualified tackle in the NFL according to Pro Football Focus.

Seahawks, Kam Chancellor Agree To Deal

August 1st, 2017 at 10:00am CST by Zachary Links

The Seahawks and safety Kam Chancellor have agreed to a sizable extension. It’s a three-year deal worth $36MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). The pact includes $25MM guaranteed, though his full guarantee will almost certainly be less than that.

Chancellor was scheduled to earn a base salary of $6.8MM and count for ~$8.125MM against the cap in 2017 before becoming a free agent next spring. The safety has been pushing for a better contract ever since 2015 when he held out until Week 3 of the season, but it took a while for the two sides to find common ground this summer. Just six weeks ago, head coach Pete Carroll said that talks were not active between the two sides:

“We would very much like to work something out,” Carroll said. “We’re working at it. And that’s really all we’ll say. But we are working at it with every intention of taking care of business. It takes awhile. Things take awhile. His frame of mind and our frame of mind are in a really good place. And we’re going to work hard to get something done. We’ll see if we can.”

With an average annual value of $12MM on his new deal, Chancellor is now the third-highest paid player on the team, behind only Russell Wilson ($21.75MM per season) and cornerback Richard Sherman ($14MM per season). The Seahawks have done an impeccable job of keeping their core together over the years and they have now bought themselves at least a year before they have to stress over new deals for Sherman and Earl Thomas. Both players are under contract through 2018.

The 29-year-old Chancellor started 12 games in 2016, playing on roughly two-thirds of Seattle’s defensive snaps while grading as the league’s No. 3 safety, per Pro Football Focus. There’s no doubt that he is an elite player at his position and the new deal reflects his standing in the NFL. The deal will also allow him to retire as a member of the Seahawks, something that he has said is extremely important to him.

Seahawks Haven’t Discussed Extension With Kam Chancellor

June 14th, 2017 at 8:28pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Although head coach Pete Carroll yesterday indicated the Seahawks are inclined to work out an extension with safety Kam Chancellor, Seattle has not formally reached out to Chancellor regarding a new contract, as Chancellor explained to reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).

“We would very much like to work something out,” Carroll said Tuesday. “We’re working at it. And that’s really all we’ll say. But we are working at it with every intention of taking care of business. It takes awhile. Things take awhile. His frame of mind and our frame of mind are in a really good place. And we’re going to work hard to get something done. We’ll see if we can.”

Chancellor, who notably held out until Week 3 of the 2015 campaign in the (ultimately failed) hopes of landing a new contract, is scheduled to earn a base salary of $6.8MM and count for ~$8.125MM against the cap in 2017 before becoming a free agent next spring. The 29-year-old Chancellor started 12 games a season ago, playing on roughly two-thirds of Seattle’s defensive snaps while grading as the league’s No. 3 safety, per Pro Football Focus.

NFC Notes: Chancellor, Fairley, Packers

June 13th, 2017 at 9:04pm CST by Ben Levine

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll told reporters today that he’s focused on finalizing a long-term extension with safety Kam Chancellor.

“We would very much like to work something out,” he said (via ESPN.com’s Sheil Kapadia). “We’re working at it. And that’s really all we’ll say. But we are working at it with every intention of taking care of business. It takes awhile. Things take awhile. His frame of mind and our frame of mind are in a really good place. And we’re going to work hard to get something done. We’ll see if we can.”

The four-time Pro Bowler is entering the final year of his contract. The defensive back held out for two games during the 2015 season before signing a new four-year, $28MM deal with the Seahawks. In late May, our own Connor Byrne discussed Chancellor’s extension candidacy.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFC…

Saints defensive lineman Nick Fairley is still waiting for results from his third medical opinion regarding a heart condition. Today, coach Sean Payton acknowledged that the team hasn’t received any updates on his availability. However, Payton did say that the organization would consider all of the opinions as they determine what to do with the veteran. “We will weigh in on all of those things,” he said (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). “We will meet with him and his agent and kind of weigh in on the three different opinions. Like I said, I anticipate that being sooner than later.”
Will the Packers keep seven receivers on their roster for a second-straight season? “I’d like to think we’ve got more than seven guys there who can play,” receivers coach Luke Getsy said today (via ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky on Twitter). Behind starters Jordy Nelson, Davante Adams, and Randall Cobb, the Packers are rostering wideouts Jeff Janis, DeAngelo Yancey, Geronimo Allison, Trevor Davis, Malachi Dupre, and Max McCaffrey.
Last week, the Packers waived cornerback David Rivers with an injury designation. Today, ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky reported (via Twitter) that the player reached an injury settlement with the organization, thus removing himself from the team’s injured reserve.

Extension Candidate: Kam Chancellor

May 29th, 2017 at 4:32pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Major changes could soon be on the way for Seattle’s star-studded secondary, a staple during the team’s run of five straight double-digit win seasons and an integral part of its 13-3, Super Bowl-winning 2013 campaign.

Cornerback Richard Sherman and the safety tandem of Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor have consistently been the best players in Seattle’s famed Legion of Boom defensive backfield throughout the club’s half-decade of excellence, but the futures of each have either come into question recently or will over the next year. Sherman has been the subject of trade rumors of late and is reportedly at the center of a rift with key members of the organization; Thomas considered retirement after a broken tibia ended his season last December; and Chancellor is scheduled to become a free agent in a little under 10 months.

With both Sherman and Thomas signed through 2018, determining what to do with Chancellor will be general manager John Schneider‘s most pressing matter leading up to next offseason. The strong safety is set to wrap up a four-year, $28MM contract – a deal that led to earlier disharmony between him and the Seahawks. Chancellor, seeking a raise back in 2015, held out through the summer and didn’t return to the team until Week 3 of the season. That came after the Seahawks refused to upgrade Chancellor’s contract and even went so far as to dock him upward of $1MM for the time he missed.

Whatever ill will may have existed between the two sides faded, though, as Chancellor actually expressed happiness with his situation last June. Chancellor then went on to rack up 85 tackles and two interceptions over 12 games in an injury-shortened season, and though he went without a Pro Bowl nod for the first time since 2012, he did rank as Pro Football Focus’ third-best safety among 90 qualifiers. Since then, head coach Pete Carroll has suggested that the Seahawks would like to extend Chancellor, and Schneider seemed to imply the same in an interview with KJR-AM in Seattle earlier this month.

“We have several guys that we will get to,” said Schneider (via the Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta). “We want to be able to take care of our team and he’s obviously a huge part of that.”

If the two sides do discuss an extension, the four-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro will seek elite money relative to his position. Chancellor, who already paces all strong safeties in cap hit (~$8.04MM) and base salary ($6.8MM), saw a similarly aged star at his position – the Dolphins’ Reshad Jones – cash in earlier this offseason. Jones, despite having missed 10 games in 2016, landed a four-year, $48MM extension with just under $20MM fully guaranteed in March.

Both Chancellor and Jones were fifth-round picks in the 2010 draft, and they’ve turned into top-caliber defensive backs with similar traditional numbers since becoming starters as NFL sophomores. Dating back to 2011, Chancellor has started in all 84 appearances, averaged 6.87 tackles per game, and totaled 12 interceptions and seven forced fumbles. Jones has started in all 78 outings over the same span, piling up fewer tackles (5.54 per game) but notching more picks (15) and returning three for touchdowns. The Dolphin also has a clear edge in sacks (eight to one), but he has forced five fewer fumbles (three).

Whether Chancellor is better than Jones is up for debate. It’s inarguable, though, that Chancellor is a premier safety who has a case for a Jones-type payday. However, forking over that type of cash to a player on the cusp of his 30s – one who hasn’t played a full season since 2013 – might give the Seahawks pause. With Sherman and Thomas also nearing their 30s and potentially their own trips to the open market, Schneider is going to have to decide soon which (if any) to commit to for the long haul. It seems unrealistic to expect all three to remain in Seattle on huge contracts as they continue to age, which means the clock is likely ticking on the team’s iconic secondary.

Earl Thomas On Track For Season Opener

May 4th, 2017 at 8:49pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Seahawks expect safety Earl Thomas to be available for the start of the 2017 campaign, head coach Pete Carroll told reporters, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (Twitter link).

Thomas, of course, hinted at retirement after breaking his leg in December, but ultimately indicated he’d be back for the 2017 season. The news that Thomas is on track to return for the season opener doesn’t come as a significant surprise, as Carroll said in March that Thomas was “way ahead of schedule” in his recovery. When healthy, Thomas is considered the best deep safety in the NFL, so his absence — for any length of time — would represent a massive blow to a stingy Seattle defense. Signed through 2018, Thomas is set to have cap charges of $10.4MM in each of the next two seasons.

Thomas’ secondary mate Kam Chancellor, meanwhile, is still working his way back from multiple ankle surgeries and isn’t yet at full speed, tweets Condotta. Chancellor, like Thomas, is an excellent player when healthy, but injury concerns have sidelined him in recent years. He’s missed 11 total games over the past three seasons, although those absences were caused by injuries to his hip, groin, and tailbone (not ankle). Recently, Carroll admitted the Seahawks would like to work out a new deal with Chancellor, who’s entering a contract season.

Seattle has added reinforcements in the defensive backfield this offseason, so the club should be well-prepared if Thomas and/or Chancellor are forced to miss any time. In addition to making a value signing in Bradley McDougald, the Seahawks used a third-round pick to draft Michigan safety Delano Hill.

Seahawks Rumors: Sherman, Chancellor, Schneider

April 5th, 2017 at 9:18pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier today, Seahawks general manager John Schneider confirmed the Richard Sherman trade talks are “real,” citing a need for open communication with his star corner. The Patriots are known to have interest in Sherman, but New England reportedly won’t aggressively pursue the 29-year-old unless it loses fellow cornerback Malcolm Butler.

Let’s take a look at a few more notes out of Seattle, including items on Sherman and one of his defensive backfield mates:

While the odds remain in favor of Sherman suiting up for the Seahawks in 2017, the club simply wants to maintain a “direct dialogue” with him, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. That’s especially important given that Sherman is acting as his own representation for the time being. Sherman never found another agent after Ben Dogra was hit with NFLPA sanctions. No contract is being discussed in the Sherman situation (unless the Patriots or another wants to rework his deal), but Seattle presumably wants to keep Sherman in the loop as it discusses his future.
Sherman’s brother, who also acts as the manager of the Richard Sherman Family Foundation, believes a trade would be welcomed by the Seahawks corner, per Ian Rapoport of NFL.com. “[The Seahawks] are making it seem like they don’t need him,” said Branton Sherman. “This is the same player that everyone doubted and denied, saying he’s too tall, too slow, his hips aren’t good enough, fifth-rounder. This is a new chip Richard is going to use. He’s going to be like, ‘You think you can trade me? I’m going to show you guys. That you would even talk about trading me…’ This is a new obstacle, mentally.”
A potential Sherman trade is the most pressing matter for the Seahawks at present, but the club may also be considering an extension for safety Kam Chancellor, as Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com writes. Head coach Pete Carroll admitted Seattle may want to get a deal done with Chancellor, who is entering the final year of his contract, but terms may be difficult to agree to. Chancellor will likely be looking to match or exceed the four-year, ~$55MM deal the Dolphins recently handed to Reshad Jones, per Kapadia, but the franchise tag could also be an option in 2018.

Seahawks Notes: Robinson, Chancellor, Bennett

June 14th, 2016 at 8:54pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Here’s the latest on the Seahawks, all of which comes courtesy of The Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta:

Pete Carroll confirmed longtime NBA point guard Nate Robinson‘s tryout with the Seahawks and lauded his athletic ability, but the head coach indicated that the 5-foot-9, 180-pounder faces long odds of getting a contract (Twitter link). Robinson, 32, hasn’t played competitive football since his days at the University of Washington. It will make for an excellent story if the Seahawks do sign the local product, who’s vying for a defensive role, but it doesn’t appear likely.
Safety Kam Chancellor spoke after practice today and expressed happiness regarding his situation (via Twitter). That’s a far cry from Chancellor’s state a year ago, when he was upset with his contract and ended up holding out until Week 3 of the regular season. The Seahawks called Chancellor’s bluff then and still haven’t awarded him a new deal. As of now, the four-time Pro Bowler remains under the contract he signed in 2013. That deal, which pays Chancellor upward of $7MM per year, is set to expire after the 2017 season.
Defensive end Michael Bennett, who also hasn’t made his desire for a new contract a secret, told reporters Tuesday that he believes he’s a $100MM player (Twitter link). Bennett, like Chancellor, has two more years remaining on his current contract. The only D-linemen in the league on deals worth at least $100MM are Ndamukong Suh, J.J. Watt and the newly signed Fletcher Cox. Bennett is already 30 and, although outstanding, has neither the track records of Suh or Watt nor the youth of Cox, so it’s highly improbable he’ll land a deal remotely close to theirs. However, if Bennett maintains his performance (or something close to it), he should be in line for an appreciable raise over his $7.13MM-per-year average salary whenever he signs his next deal.

NFC Notes: Raji, Brees, Seahawks, Rams

March 22nd, 2016 at 4:06pm CST by Luke Adams

Packers president Mark Murphy was surprised by B.J. Raji‘s decision to walk away from football, but he respects the former NFL defensive lineman’s decision, as ESPN.com’s Rob Demovsky writes.

“Oh yeah, he had been communicating with [team contract negotiator Russ Ball] and we thought we had a deal done,” the Packers president said. “I think it surprised his agent. I’ll tell you, I really respect B.J. It’s not an easy decision. The easy thing to do is take the money. Especially the letter he wrote, he obviously thought things through. No, I was surprised. I’m happy for him. He obviously gave it some thought.”

While Raji won’t be playing in 2016, he left the door open for a return in the future, and Packers head coach Mike McCarthy believes the big defensive tackle will eventually return. “It would have to be at the right time,” McCarthy said, per Demovsky.

Here’s more from around the NFC:

Saints quarterback Drew Brees says that extension talks are ongoing, though he does not know when or if a deal will be worked out, as Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune writes. “I don’t know that it is something that will be done next week or before the end of the year or next year or when,” Brees said on 104.5-FM in Baton Rouge. Brees, 37, is entering the final year of a five-year, $100MM deal he signed in 2012.
Asked today about the message Kam Chancellor posted to Instagram last week indicating that he’s “not going anywhere,” Seahawks GM John Schneider confirmed that the safety will “absolutely” be a Seahawk in 2016, though he didn’t offer any specifics on whether a specific conversation or incident prompted Chancellor to post that message. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times has the details.
Schneider also said today that the Seahawks have not yet received Marshawn Lynch‘s retirement papers, but said there’s no rush to make a roster move involving Lynch — for cap purposes, the club may wait until after June 1 to do anything with Lynch (Twitter link via Sheil Kapadia of ESPN.com).
Having lost Rodney McLeod in free agency, the Rams continue to monitor the market in search of potential help at the free safety position, writes Nick Wagoner of ESPN.com.
Lions GM Bob Quinn indicated today that the team’s extension discussions with 2013’s draft class likely won’t really heat up until after the draft, per Tim Twentyman of DetroitLions.com (Twitter link). Ezekiel Ansah and Darius Slay are, of course, the two most noteworthy extension candidates who fit that bill.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Extra Points: Chancellor, Cardinals, Draft, Jets

March 16th, 2016 at 10:27pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Four-time Pro Bowl Seahawks safety Kam Chancellor hasn’t been shy about voicing his disenchantment with his current contract, going so far as to sit out all of last summer and then the first two games of the season in an effort to land a better one. Though that gambit backfired, he’s in no hurry to leave Seattle. Chancellor took to Instagram on Wednesday and posted a picture with the message: “I’m not going anywhere.” The 27-year-old also wrote, “Seattle is my Second home. I don’t plan on going anywhere unless some higher power places me elsewhere.” Chancellor has two years remaining on his deal.

More from around the NFL as we wrap up Wednesday…

The right side of the Cardinals’ offensive line will consist of newly signed Evan Mathis (guard) and D.J. Humphries (tackle), while A.Q. Shipley is the current starter at center, according to general manager Steve Keim (Twitter link via Darren Urban of the team’s website).
On the other side of the ball, newly acquired pass rusher Chandler Jones will shift from defensive end – where he played in New England – to outside linebacker for the Cardinals, per Keim. The deal to land Jones took about three days to execute, the GM added (Twitter link via Ben Volin of the Boston Globe). It’s worth mentioning that defensive ends cost more to franchise tag than linebackers ($15.701MM to $14.129MM this year), which could impact Jones – who will be a free agent next offseason.
Ohio State cornerback Eli Apple has lined up visits with more than 16 teams, including the Rams, Buccaneers, Dolphins and Jaguars, per Rand Getlin of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Baylor defensive tackle Andrew Billings has met with the Buccaneers, Steelers, 49ers and Lions, he told James Palmer of NFL Network (Twitter link).
Receiver/returner Jordan Norwood will join linebacker Courtney Upshaw in visiting the Jets on Thursday, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). Norwood, 29, has played sporadically with three different teams since entering the league in 2009. He spent last season with the champion Broncos, amassing 22 receptions and 11 returns, and set the record for the longest Super Bowl punt return (61 yards).

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