Bucky Brooks is a former NFL player and scout for the Seahawks who now works for SI.com. Here's his take on the Bobby Engram situation:

Bobby Engram's walkout from the Seahawks minicamp is clearly over the veteran's displeasure with his current contract.

Entering the last leg of a two-year contract that pays him $1.7 million this season, Engram makes significantly less than starters Deion Branch ($4.1M) and Nate Burleson ($3.25M), despite being the team's top receiver two of the past three seasons. Engram posted career highs in receptions (94) and receiving yards (1,147) last year and continues to be Pro Bowl QB Matt Hasselbeck's top target in clutch situations.

But Engram will have a tough time securing a long-term contract due to his age (35) and the flexibility of Seattle's offensive system. Some Seahawks officials believe Engram's production has been inflated due to Hasselbeck's belief in the veteran, and that the anticipated shift to a more balanced offense will eventually diminish Engram's role. The Seahawks are tweaking their offense to feature a power running game with several multiple tight end sets, and their under-the-radar pickups of free agent Jeb Putzier and rookie John Carlson gives them a formidable tight end duo capable of replacing Engram's production as a slot receiver.

Although Engram's presence on the offense would be greatly missed, the Seahawks have a solid solution in place should the situation linger into training camp.

The Seahawks' rookie pool to sign their draft choices has been set at $3,674,960, ESPN.com reports.

Club president Tim Ruskell already was setting aside this money under the team's salary cap after signing cornerback Marcus Trufant to a long-term contract.

A recap of today's final practice in the team's veteran's camp:

WORD OF THE DAY
Over. As in, it is. The players went through a spirited 70-minute practice to conclude their four-day veteran's camp.

But that doesn't mean they're done.

"We're back to work at 7:30 Monday," quarterback Matt Hasselbeck said.

That's for the continuation of the offseason conditioning program.

"This (camp) is just a part of our offseason program," Hasselbeck said. "This is a good step. We took a step in the right direction."

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Jordan Babineaux. The team's versatile defensive back was just that – today and during this entire camp.

He was lining up as the third cornerback – or nickel back – in the No. 1 nickel defense and at safety in the No. 2 base defense.

Babineaux's best play came as the nickel back, as he was all over running back Julius Jones in the backfield as he took a pass from Hasselbeck during a red-zone drill.

MISSING PLAYER OF THE DAY
Bobby Engram. There was an Engram sighting – but he was entering the building after practice in a sports coat, not on the practice field in a helmet.

Engram skipped this camp in an attempt to get a contract extension.

"I feel like I could throw to Bobby with my eyes closed," Hasselbeck said when asked about Engram's absence. "He'll be back and he'll be the same Bobby we all know and love. … He'll be a playmaker for us this year, just like he was last year."

Engram caught a franchise-record 94 passes last season.

Is Hasselbeck disappointed that one of the team's leaders wasn't around this week?

"In Bobby's case, not really," he said. "He's one of those guys – I almost him put in a category with Walt (Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones) and (guard) Chris Gray – they've been doing it for so long they know exactly what it takes for them to get ready."

ROLL CALL
One tight end was back (Zac Alcorn), another was sitting out (Jeb Putzier). Wednesday, Putzier practiced while Alcorn was sidelined.

Wide receiver Courtney Taylor did not practice for the second consecutive day.

The other sidelined players were the usual suspects – those players recovery from surgery: wide receiver Deion Branch (knee), center Chris Spencer (shoulder), guard Rob Sims (knee), Jones (shoulder), defensive end Patrick Kerney (shoulder), defensive tackles Marcus Tubbs (knee) and Rocky Bernard (toe), linebacker Will Herring (knee) and safety Mike Green (foot).

QUOTE UNQUOTE
"It is a different camp. This gives us a chance to work one-on-one with some of the guys who I expect to be contributors for us." – coach Mike Holmgren, on the amount of individual teaching that went on during the veteran's camp as compared to the full-squad minicamp last weekend

A recap of today's practice at the team's veteran's camp:

WORD OF THE DAY
Brrrrrrr. As in, it might say May 7 on the calendar, but the team practiced in late-November weather.

How cold was it? Quarterback Matt Hasselbeck wasn't just wearing a hand-warmer around his waist, he was using it.

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Jason Babin. Remember him? Obtained in a cut-down day trade with the Houston Texans in September, the former first-round draft choice was inactive for 13 games last season.

But the fifth-year defensive end had back-to-back players in the full-team portion of practice that were the equivalent of remember-me flares. On the first, Babin got past tackle Kyle Williams for what would have been a sack of Seneca Wallace on a screen pass. On the next snap, Babin again beat Williams to blow up a running play.

POSITION WATCH
Wide receiver. And then there were five.

Courtney Taylor did not practice, so the show of available hands was down to Nate Burleson, Jordan Kent, Ben Obomanu, Logan Payne and just-signed Joel Filani. Remove Burleson from the group and the remaining foursome has combined for a total of 12 NFL receptions. All by Obomanu. All last season.

That will happen when Deion Branch is rehabbing from knee surgery and Bobby Engram is skipping this camp to protest his contract.

The upside, however, is that the coaches are getting long looks at the players who need to step up and become factors in the three- and four-receiver sets.

"What great experience. They're getting every play," offensive coordinator Gil Haskell said. "By the time we have to play, we'll know who can play and who can't."

What have they shown? Kent, the former basketball player from Oregon, has the speed to go deep and the size to overpower small cornerbacks. Obomanu has good hands and can fill any of the four spots. Payne is sure handed and tough.

POSITION CHANGE
Mike Phair has switched from being an area scout to the assistant linebackers coach.

QUOTE UNQUOTE
"Before, he was like a deer. His legs were flying and he was flying. Now, all of a sudden, he's smoother and running better. It'll take time. But he's got something. He's got size and speed. And it's intriguing to me." – Haskell, on Kent's progress from a basketball player who is trying to play football to a football player who might actually make some plays

Wide receiver Travis Brown, who was released by the Seahawks on Monday, has been claimed off waivers by the Cincinnati Bengals.

The Seahawks released Brown when they signed wide receiver Joel Filani.

A recap of today's practice in the team's veteran's camp:

WORD OF THE DAY
Bobby. As in, Engram – the team's leading receiver who is skipping this voluntary camp because he wants a new contract.

In a pay-for-play world, Engram deserves more than the $1.7 million he's scheduled to make. He did, after all, set a franchise record with 94 receptions last season.

But the club says it isn't going to budge. Engram signed a two-year, $3.4 million deal last year, and the team will not revisit his contract situation until after this season. It also has been pointed out that when Engram missed nine games in 2006 with a thyroid condition, the club didn't ask for a refund on his $820,000 salary.

It's a tit-for-tat situation, at best.

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Marcus Trufant. The team's Pro Bowl cornerback is showing signs of picking up where he left off last season.

In a one-on-one drill, Trufant intercepted a Seneca Wallace pass after making a better read on the ball than receiver Jordan Kent. In the full-team drill that concludes each practice, Trufant almost had another pick after shielding receiver Ben Obomanu from a Wallace pass.

UNIT WATCH
The nickel defense. These groups got a lot work this morning as the offense was working on its three-wide receiver sets.

The No. 1 unit featured a line of – from left end to right – Darryl Tapp, Craig Terrill, Brandon Mebane and Julian Peterson. The linebackers were Lofa Tatupu and Leroy Hill, with Jordan Babineaux as the third corner. The rest of the secondary was the usual suspects – Trufant and Kelly Jennings on the corners, with Deon Grant and Brian Russell as the safeties.

The No. 2 unit had a line of Baraka Atkins, Chris Cooper, Howard Green and Jason Babin. Josh Wilson was the nickel back, and D.D. Lewis and Lance Laury were the linebackers. Omare Lowe and Kevin Hobbs were the corners, with Babineaux and C.J. Wallace at the safeties.

INJURY REPORT
Right guard Rob Sims is expected to be sidelined four to six weeks after having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee this morning, coach Mike Holmgren said, and should be ready for the start of training camp in late July.

With the exceptions of defensive tackle Marcus Tubbs (knee) and wide receiver Deion Branch (knee), Holmgren said the other rehabbing players also should be ready to practice in training camp – at least on a limited basis. That group includes left tackle Walter Jones (shoulder), center Chris Spencer (shoulder), defensive end Patrick Kerney (shoulder), defensive tackle Rocky Bernard (toe), linebacker Will Herring (knee) and safety Mike Green (foot).

Tight ends Jeb Putzier and Zac Alcorn did not practice to rest sore body parts, leaving the team with only two tight ends – Will Heller and Joe Newton.

QUOTE UNQUOTE
"My size puts me in a category, but I try to be a complete back." – 254-pounder T.J. Duckett, who has been pigeonholed as a "big back" during his career

Bobby Engram, the Seahawks' leading receiver, won't be at the team's veteran's camp practice today, either.

He skipped Monday's session, as well, because he's unhappy with his contract – which includes a base salary of $1.7 million for this season as part of the two-year, $3.4 million deal he signed last year.

"It's about money, absolutely, but it's not about some selfish athlete just wanting money for no reason," Engram said this morning.

Engram set a franchise record with 94 receptions last season, and also was the team's leading receiver during the Seahawks' run to the Super Bowl in 2005.

The club's reluctance to do anything with his contract is rooted in his age – he turned 35 in January.

Bobby Engram's absence from Monday's first practice in the Seahawks' veteran's camp is related to him being unhappy with his contract.

I got word of this Monday, but couldn't nail it down from more than one source so I didn't go with it. But the news already has been reported, so …

Engram is scheduled to make a base salary of $1.7 million this season, as part of the two-year, $3.4 million contract he signed in 2007.

But after catching a franchise-record 94 passes and producing the first 1,000-yard receiving season of his career, it's understandable why he feels the club should show him a little more love – especially with fellow receivers Deion Branch scheduled to make $3.5 million and Nate Burleson $3.25 million this year.

Shaun Alexander a Saint? He's scheduled to visit New Orleans on Wednesday, reports ESPN.com's John Clayton.

He's JC's take:

Shaun Alexander's two-day meeting with Cincinnati allowed each side to get to know each other, and it could lead to a signing down the road. The Bengals appear to be pretty well set at running back with Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry and Kenny Watson but injuries happen. Perry has been hurt most of his pro career. By visiting with Alexander, Cincinnati knows he could be one call away if they need him. Alexander will go to New Orleans for a visit Wednesday. There is 50-50 chance of a visit to the Broncos later in the week.

A recap of today's opening practice in the team's four-day veteran camp:

WORD OF THE DAY
Engaged. As in, Mike Holmgren was much more involved – and a lot more vocal – in the 90-minute session than during any of the five minicamp practices over the weekend.

The team's head coach let his assistants do the instructing – and cajoling – when the rookies were involved. But in the veteran-only practice, Holmgren was stressing tempo, imploring the receivers to use the proper angles on their routes and dishing out praise and criticism when warranted.

PLAYER OF THE DAY
Nate Burleson. With leading receiver Bobby Engram attending to a personal matter and Deion Branch rehabbing from reconstructive knee surgery, Burleson was elevated to sage status in a group that included five others who have a combined 17 NFL receptions between them.

Burleson made the most of his lead-by-example opportunity.

His day began with Burleson running a nice route and making an even better catch in a down-and-distance drill. On the very next play, he grabbed a pass along the sideline and managed to get both feet inbounds despite tight coverage from cornerback Kelly Jennings.

Later, Burleson made a fingertip catch of a deep pass from Matt Hasselbeck. But he saved his best effort for the full-team drill that ended practice, as Burleson went up the ladder against cornerback Josh Wilson to snag a pass from Seneca Wallace and somehow stayed on his feet after landing somewhat awkwardly to provide the run after the catch.

POSITION WATCH
Offensive line. Attrition has become the operative word when discussing this unit.

With right guard Rob Sims sitting out because of arthroscopic knee surgery, the No. 1 line was down three bodies as Pro Bowl left tackle Walter Jones and center Chris Spencer continue to be sidelined while recovering from shoulder surgery.

The "starting" group included – from left tackle to right – Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack (for Jones), Mike Wahle, Chris Gray (for Spencer), Mansfield Wrotto (for Sims) and Sean Locklear.

That, of course, revamped the No. 2 line, as well. That unit included LT Kyle Williams, LG Pat Murray, C Nick Jones, RG Steve Vallos and RT Chris White.

QUOTE UNQUOTE
"You should see him in the meeting room. I'm not sure if he has a quiet voice." – Wahle, when asked about the on-field intensity of new offensive line coach Mike Solari