Engram may be a no-show

Published 11:11 pm Sunday, June 8, 2008

REDMOND — When the Seattle Seahawks return to the practice field for another voluntary minicamp this morning, wide receiver Bobby Engram will not be in attendance.

The big question now is whether the record-setting veteran will be there when the Seahawks open training camp at the end of next month.

Engram, who is unhappy with his current two-year contract, said Sunday afternoon that there is “a possibility” he will skip all or part of training camp if a new deal does not get done.

“I’m not ready to make that decision yet,” Engram said in an interview with The Herald and television station KCPQ on Sunday afternoon, “but (not showing up for training camp) is a possibility.”

Engram, 35, has skipped two consecutive minicamp sessions, both of which were voluntary, because he wants a new contract. He signed a two-year deal before the 2007 season. But Engram wants that contract, which paid him $1.7 million in 2007 and is scheduled to pay him the same amount in 2008, re-done following a season that saw the receiver catch a franchise-record 94 passes.

“I think that everyone is in agreement that I’ve outplayed that deal,” said Engram, who signed the contract after a 2006 season that saw him miss nine games due to an unforeseen thyroid condition. “I can’t force (the Seahawks’) hand, and I’m not trying to force their hand.

“I’m at peace with this decision, and it’s not coming from a place of ego or pride. I’m just trying to get something done that will be fair. It’s a business decision on both sides, and I understand where they’re coming from. But I have to do what I think is best for me in my career.”

Two of Engram’s teammates — receivers Deion Branch and Nate Burleson — have contracts that are scheduled to pay them about twice Engram’s salary in 2008. As the most productive player on the Seahawks’ receiving corps, Engram is looking for a new deal.

“In my mind, we’d like to see a new deal, a couple-year extension,” Engram said Sunday when asked what he hoped to gain from the skipped camp sessions.

Engram attended a mandatory camp in late April and early May, but he was not there when the camps became voluntary. In May, he sent a letter to team president Tim Ruskell detailing his reason for skipping the camp.

On Sunday, Engram disputed earlier reports that he had sent a letter to coach Mike Holmgren — “Actually, I wrote the letter to Tim and copied it to Coach Holmgren and some other members of the front office to keep them privy to what was going on in my mind,” he said — and added that he’s prepared to skip the start of training camp if a new deal does not get done.

“It’s a possibility,” Engram said. “We’ll see what happens.”

Asked what message he hoped to send by skipping practices, Engram said: “I’m not really trying to tell the team anything. I’ve said my piece. They know where I stand. This is just about me evaluating my options for the future.”

The Seahawks are already shorthanded at the position, with Branch expected to miss all of training camp following knee surgery. The team has targeted a September return, but it’s still unclear exactly when Branch might be back.

In Engram’s absence, Burleson is the only established receiver on the practice field. Ben Obomanu and Courtney Taylor, with a combined 18 career receptions, are the only other receivers at camp who have caught a single pass at the NFL level.

Holmgren said last Monday that he did not expect Engram to miss any part of training camp.

“Absolutely, he will be here at training camp,” Holmgren told reporters one week ago. “Until that point, I don’t know. It’s kind of out of my hands.”

On Sunday, Engram was less willing to commit to his participation at the mandatory training camp that begins in late July.

“It’s a possibility,” Engram said when asked whether he could miss time at training camp. “We’ll see what happens.”

Engram had a breakout season in 2008, catching a franchise-record 94 passes for 1,147 yards. While teammates like Branch and D.J. Hackett struggled with injuries, Engram put up the best numbers of his career.

The 12-year veteran displayed no outward bitterness toward the organization on Sunday, yet it’s clear that he would like to be rewarded for his 2007 season.

He gave no indication that he’ll sit out any part of the 2008 regular season, but that doesn’t necessarily mean Engram will be there when training camp begins.

“I’m going to come out and have a great year, either way,” he said Sunday, just before teeing off in a golf tournament to help raise funds for the athletic department of Cedar Park Christian High School. “It’s just a matter of what I mean to the organization.”

NOTES: Engram was one of seven Seahawks attending Sunday’s fundraiser for Cedar Park Christian. Also in attendance was former Seahawks kicker Josh Brown, who signed a long-term contract with the St. Louis Rams in March. Brown still owns a house in the Seattle area. … The Seahawks’ current minicamp, which began last week, continues today through Thursday. It’s the final session before training camp begins in late July. … Training camp is expected to start at the team’s Kirkland facility, but the new Renton complex might be open before the end of the five-week camp. … On Sunday night, Qwest Field hosted a ceremony for retiring Seahawks vice president Gary Wright, who is one of just three people who remain from the team’s first season in 1976. His departure leaves community outreach director Sandy Gregory and video director Thom Fermstad as the longest-tenured members of the front office.