[Kansas City.com] Halfway through a six-year contract he signed in 2003, the Chiefs’ Eddie Kennison might have been able to live with the terms of the deal scheduled to pay him $2.1 million this season.
But offseason research by his agent, John Hamilton, showed Kennison to have the 45th-highest 2006 salary among the NFL’s 64 starting wide receivers. One of Kennison’s closest peers in terms of age and recent performance, Dallas’ Terry Glenn, recently received a lucrative contract extension.
Closer to home, the Chiefs just signed free-agent cornerback Ty Law to a five-year, $30 million deal.
Suddenly, Kennison’s contract isn’t as attractive, and this week he decided to do something about it.
Kennison said he would report to training camp with the Chiefs in time for the first practice Friday at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. But he also indicated he might leave camp at some point if the Chiefs don’t either give him a new contract with a raise or release him.
“I will cross that bridge when I get to it,” Kennison said. “I will go to camp and work as hard as I’ve been working. I won’t have any bitter or sour attitudes in camp.”
Kennison and Hamilton first contacted the Chiefs in the spring. Talks have been ongoing but fruitless.
Kennison initially thought about not reporting for camp. After discussions with his wife, Shimika, and Hamilton, Kennison decided against it.
His decision to report doesn’t necessarily mean he’s in it for the long haul.
“I have a responsibility to this organization and the 53 guys I dress with, so it came up quickly that I was not going to miss camp,” Kennison said. “I’m not a selfish, flashy kind of guy. I just want the world to know what’s going on with my situation.”
“I would hope the Chiefs would put me on waivers if they don’t want to step to the plate.”
Chiefs president/general manager Carl Peterson did not respond to a request to answer questions on Kennison’s situation.
