The Sports Xchange

RENTON, Wash. — The holdout of strong safety Kam Chancellor of the Seattle Seahawks reached day 28 on Thursday with no real end in sight.

Coach Pete Carroll said there was nothing new on the situation with Chancellor, who wants a new contract or at least some alterations to his current deal, which runs through the 2017 season and is due to pay him $4.55 million this year.

“Everything’s as it’s been, really as it’s been,” Carroll said of Chancellor. “At this point, it’s important for us, we have to continue to look.

” … The opener’s coming, and we have to get our guys ready to play. So that’s what we’re doing.”

Dion Bailey is expected to start at strong safety in Chancellor’s place Saturday at San Diego.

Cornerback Richard Sherman will play Saturday for the first time this preseason after sitting out the first two games because of a hip flexor injury.

In fact, it will be his first action since the Super Bowl, when he played through an elbow injury. Sherman says the elbow is fine and that playing in the preseason is no big deal.

“The preseason is the preseason,” he said.

Continuing with a theme on defensive backs, free safety Earl Thomas won’t play Saturday and might not see action during the preseason, although Carroll said Thomas remains on track to play in the regular season opener Sept. 13 at St. Louis.

“Earl got a lot of work this week,” Carroll said. “He’s getting ready to be in shape to play for the opener. His timing is getting down, his calls.

“You can see him fitting in, the intensity that he brings is starting to show up.”

Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson won’t play while still resting a sprained ankle sustained in the opener against Denver. He should be able to play next Thursday against the Raiders.

The Seahawks felt confident enough in his quick return to cut Jake Waters earlier in the week. Waters was signed after Jackson was hurt to add depth at the position.

NOTES: Linebacker Bruce Irvin (concussion is expected to play ON Saturday. … Wide receiver Chris Matthews (sprained shoulder) won’t play against the Chargers but should be able to play against the Raiders, and cornerback Tharold Simon is expected to see action against the Chargers for the first time since off-season shoulder surgery.