KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Even though Priest Holmes has threatened to sit out the season unless his contract is reworked, the Kansas City Chiefs say a new deal isn't in the running back's future.

If Holmes plays for the Chiefs next season, it will be under his current contract, Chiefs' president and general manager Carl Peterson told The Kansas City Star while in Phoenix for the NFL meetings that started Sunday.

There are three years left on Holmes contract, which he signed two years ago. He is scheduled to be paid, with bonuses, $2.25 million this year, $2.5 million in 2004 and $2.75 million in 2005.

Peterson indicated his earlier statements regarding Holmes' contract were misinterpreted and he never said he would give Holmes a new deal.

"I've talked about extending his contract," Peterson said. "I'm not offering a new contract, and I'm not interested in tearing up his current contract and throwing that away. He signed a five-year deal. We both agreed on it."

Holmes' agent, Todd France, said he would not comment until he talked more with Peterson.

Although he missed the final two games of last season with a hip injury, Holmes still had the finest season by a running back in team history and was named an All-Pro for the second year in a row. In just 14 games, he rushed for 1,615 yards and scored 24 touchdowns.

The highest-paid running back last year, according to figures provided by the NFL Players Association, was Emmitt Smith of Dallas, who made $10.3 million, including bonuses.

A bargain for the Chiefs

At $2.25 million, Holmes wouldn't even make last season's list of the 10 highest-paid running backs.

In a contract extension, a player typically receives a signing bonus, so Holmes could make more money this year even if the Chiefs don't raise his salary.

But Peterson said that is months away, if it happens at all.

"The first order of business is to make sure he's 100 percent recovered from that injury such that he's still hopefully the same player he was when he got injured," Peterson said. "That's a process that's going to take some time, into minicamp (in May) and probably into training camp. I've discussed this with him and his representative.

"The other thing I've discussed with him is until I get through at least the draft ... I need to get that far through this fiscal year to determine where we are cashwise and capwise. Then, I'll have a better sense of what I may be able to do with Priest on an extension. And that's what it would be -- an extension."

The Chiefs have the space under the NFL's $75 million salary cap to make a deal with Holmes. But, for now at least, they have other plans for it.

They have made contract offers to St. Louis defensive lineman Jeff Zgonina and Buffalo running back Shawn Bryson. Peterson was hopeful both would sign shortly.