RENTON A contract extension for Seahawks strong safety Kam Chancellor is starting to sound more like a matter of when and no longer if. Comments from both sides over the last two days have left that impression.

Following the Seahawks first practice of training camp on Sunday, coach Pete Carroll said the talks have been positive and that he hopes a deal will be finished soon.

Chancellor answered in the affirmative when asked Monday if he shares that optimism.

Yeah, I think its been positive on both ends. Hopefully it gets done any time now, he said. But I feel that its positive on both ends. Both sides have been very productive, working together. So Im just waiting to see whats happening.

Chancellor, 29, is entering the final year of the contract he signed in 2013, which includes a $6.8 million base salary for 2017. Because of where hes at in the life of his contract with one season left as opposed to being more than a year away from free agency hes been considered a candidate for an extension along with tight end Jimmy Graham and center Justin Britt.

Chancellor was asked Monday if theres any temptation to play out his current deal with an eye toward testing free agency next offseason. That could, in theory, have some appeal given how the safety market has escalated in recent seasons.

According to Spotrac.com, eight safeties are making an average of at least $8.5 million, with Kansas Citys Eric Berry topping the list at $13 million per season. Miamis Reshad Jones, the NFLs highest-paid strong safety, makes $12 million per year. Those deals were all signed after Chancellor signed an extension in 2013 that averaged a little over $7 million.

So, any desire to see what kind of offers might be out there after 2017?

Right now, both sides are having positive talks and we are just going to keep doing what we are doing right now and Im just going to follow that process, Chancellor said.

He was asked if he wants to finish his career with the Seahawks.

Exactly. I do. I do, Chancellor said. I love this team. They gave me the first opportunity, the only opportunity, and I would love to retire here.

How realistic will that be?

As realistic as they make it, he said.

Continue reading here:

Kam Chancellor hopes extension with Seahawks gets done 'any time now' - MyNorthwest.com