Eric Berry ‘a bit surprised’ on lack of extension progress

[Quesadilla Joe]

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/nfl...e88612427.html

Spoiler!

Against the backdrop of approximately 352 kids laughing, jumping and playing on a humid summer night, Chiefs safety Eric Berry wore a smile on his face as he stood on the turf at North Kansas City High School and explained what he knew about his current contract status.

And Berry — who has until July 15 to get an extension done with the Chiefs, lest he play the 2016 under the one-year franchise tag — took a break from his sixth annual free youth football camp on Friday and made a few things clear.

One, he absolutely still wants to be a Chief for the long term.

And, two, yes, he is a bit surprised it’s taken so long for a new deal to get done.

“I thought it would progress a little bit more,” Berry said. “But it’s still been pretty much the same since the last time we talked. A lot can change in a week. A lot can change for whenever the deadline is.”

Berry’s surprise makes sense. Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt said at the NFL’s annual meeting in March that he’s hopeful to get a long-term deal done with Berry, and that he’s “certainly” somebody that they “would like to be a Chief for a very, very long time.”

Hunt added that he got a sense that Berry shared the sentiment to stay, a notion the 27-year old Berry — who has spent the last seven years with the Chiefs — also said in March and repeated Friday.

“Obviously I’d love to be a Chief — I want to be a Chief long term, just because of the community, the staff, from top to bottom, the players and everything,” Berry said. “But sometimes things don’t go as planned, and I’m prepared for that, but hopefully it goes as planned, and I’m prepared for that, as well.”

If the Chiefs can’t reach a new deal with Berry before the July 15 deadline, Berry would have to play the 2016 season under the $10.8 million franchise tender. However, he could also hold off on signing the tender, which would allow him to skip training camp and the preseason and return shortly before the regular season and still collect his full $10.8 million salary.

Still, an extension is sensible for both sides. Although the franchise tender is good money (and guaranteed, too) Berry stands to collect far more guaranteed money with a new deal, as he has the same number of all-pro selections (two) and three more Pro Bowl selections (four) than the league’s highest-paid safety, Harrison Smith, who recently signed a five-year, $51.25 million pact with the Vikings that includes nearly $29 million guaranteed.

What’s more, assuming Berry agreed to a richer deal than Smith’s, the cash-strapped Chiefs — who have a league-low $226,818 in cap space. according to the NFL Players Association — would still stand to create a minimum of $3 million or so in cap room this year with an extension. Iit’s worth noting the team already has a significant amount of money committed to 2017 — upwards of $166 million, which already surpasses the 2016 cap number of $155 million.

The Chiefs also have the option of rescinding the tender on Berry, which would create $10.8 million in cap room. However, that would make one of their most popular — and more important — players an unrestricted free agent, which hardly seems like a reasonable option for a team with Super Bowl aspirations.

“It’s a completely different atmosphere (without him),” said center Mitch Morse, who helped out at Berry’s camp on Friday. “I’ve only met a few people who, when they walk into a room full of people, that you feel their presence and people immediately shut up. He’s such a profound speaker, and he has profound things to say, and you inherently want to listen and gain knowledge. You respect the hell out of him.”

Berry, who fast-tracked his way back from a December 2014 diagnosis of Hodgkin lymphoma to return in time for the start of training camp last July, served as the emotional leader of the 2015 Chiefs, which rallied from a 1-5 start to win 11 straight games, including their first playoff win in 22 years.

He did it on the field too, as he looked quicker and faster than in previous seasons — he was back to playing at his college weight of 210 pounds — on the way to racking up 61 tackles, 10 pass deflections and two interceptions and make the Pro Bowl, be named an all-pro and win the NFL’s comeback player of the year award.

“He’s one of the main focal points of this team,” said Morse, whose comments have been parroted by several teammates, including quarterback Alex Smith. “He means a lot to Chiefs Kingdom, and he sure as hell means a lot to us, as players. We’re incomplete without him and we love the energy and passion he brings.”

Still, business is business, and Berry understands that. One of his closest friends on the team is outside linebacker Justin Houston, who was franchise-tagged in March 2015 after a 22-sack season and had to wait out the next several months as his agent, Joel Segal, and the Chiefs hammered out a six-year, $101 million extension right before the July 15 deadline.

“It’s crazy because I was talking to him when he was going through the exact same thing — it’s like roles have switched just a year later,” Berry said. “He just keeps telling me to be patient and control what I can control. So I gave him that advice, and he’s given me the same advice. That’s all I can do.”

So Berry, who has always believed in letting his work speak for himself, has spent the last several months training in Florida, getting ready for the season.

He looked trim and happy as he worked with the kids on Friday — the turnout was the best his camp in Kansas City has ever had, by the way — his trademark brown, red-tinged hair and goatee fluffy and full, a stark contrast to the way he looked last summer, even after his chemo treatments had long come to an end.

To be sure, Berry is grateful for that, a fact that came across as he spoke optimistically about his goals for the next several months, despite the uncertainty of his contract situation.

“I definitely want to get a ring, and I definitely want to be a Chief,” Berry said. “Hopefully, we can make that happen.”

And to be clear, Berry hasn’t lost faith, regardless of his surprise at the lack of recent progress.

“You know miracles happen — I’m a witness,” Berry said with a smile. “So it might go down to the wire, you know ... and hopefully they handle their end, and hopefully it comes together like it’s supposed to.”

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Show him the money

[TEX]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

bullshit

He's saying i'm not going to take any shit, no home town discount.

Pay me my 15+ million a year or I'll just retire rather than play for the Chiefs again.

IF that's what he's saying, as much as it pains me to say it, I hope he has a fabulous retirement. No Safety is worth that. Even Eric Berry - even after all he's proven and what he brings to the table.

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by RunKC

So you're going to ignore him getting ass raped by Antonio Gates from his first game in the NFL to even recently? Gronk using a 4th grade stop and go to freeze him, a no name Steelers TE roasting him, Julius ****ing Thomas roasting him, not seeing the field on the Antonio Brown catch on Houston.

It's like people forget bc he's Eric Berry

Its like you are unaware of what happened between his rookie year and the end of last year.

KC has been top of the league defensively against TE's for 3 or 4 years. They have had a very good pass defense overall as well.

And exactly who can cover Gronk one on one when he is healthy?

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

bullshit

He's saying i'm not going to take any shit, no home town discount.

Pay me my 15+ million a year or I'll just retire rather than play for the Chiefs again.

Look Laz is pulling shit out of his ass as usual.

Berry will not get $15MM per year ANYWHERE from ANYONE.

The market is maxed out about $12MM.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Its like you are unaware of what happened between his rookie year and the end of last year.

KC has been top of the league defensively against TE's for 3 or 4 years. They have had a very good pass defense overall as well.

And exactly who can cover Gronk one on one when he is healthy?

Everything runkc said plus the Titans game where we allowed the middle of the field to get exposed by Delanie Walker. Situational awareness would have been helpful... Why he was defending the touchdown when we just needed to stop them from advancing to fg territory is beyond me

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Everything runkc said plus the Titans game where we allowed the middle of the field to get exposed by Delanie Walker. Situational awareness would have been helpful... Why he was defending the touchdown when we just needed to stop them from advancing to fg territory is beyond me

Well this seals it, Berry is an elite man to man cover safety.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by TEX

IF that's what he's saying, as much as it pains me to say it, I hope he has a fabulous retirement. No Safety is worth that. Even Eric Berry - even after all he's proven and what he brings to the table.

I'm ready to give Eric Murray a go if this is the case.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by philfree

What contract did Berry want in 2016? How much guaranteed?

Andy Reid said Berry wanted to get the largest contract ever for a safety.

He also said teams can't have that many players making "top of the league money. There's this salary cap thing"

With the percentage on increase in the cap and factoring in the honey badger deal, Eric Berry wants a deal that averages 14m per year.

I love the guy and he's a true legend...but I'm not sure that would be a smart move.

Also: Eric KNOWS other teams will pay him huge money. He had the non exclusive tag last year, so his agent talked contract with those other teams.

Tough one.

[BossChief]

Also:

If the Chiefs tag Eric and he sits the whole year out, they can tag him again the following year.

If he wants to play hardball...fine.

But don't be surprised when the team throws 95 with movement at ya.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Look Laz is pulling shit out of his ass as usual.

Berry will not get $15MM per year ANYWHERE from ANYONE.

The market is maxed out about $12MM.

5yrs 62.5m is what honey badger got.

If the cap goes up to around 170 as expected, Eric expects nothing short of

5years for 70 million.

Is he worth that much?

I know people don't want to hear it, but Eric Murray has the potential to be an exceptional safety in this system.

Not just good, but really good.

And cheap.

So the question is...is Eric Berry worth that huge of a deal?

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by BossChief

5yrs 62.5m is what honey badger got.

If the cap goes up to around 170 as expected, Eric expects nothing short of

5years for 70 million.

Is he worth that much?

I know people don't want to hear it, but Eric Murray has the potential to be an exceptional safety in this system.

Not just good, but really good.

And cheap.

So the question is...is Eric Berry worth that huge of a deal?

No because he wont get that big of a deal anywhere. He isn't going to get $14MM per.

I don't see any team paying a safety that much $.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

No because he wont get that big of a deal anywhere. He isn't going to get $14MM per.

I don't see any team paying a safety that much $.

His agent was free to talk to all teams last offseason.

If his agent didn't think he could get that kinda coin, he would have signed a LTD in KC.

Personally, I'd tag him and let it be known that he's available for a 2nd rounder.

[O.city]

You can't tag him again, teams aren't gonna give up a pick and s huge deal for the guy.

The Chiefs could end up having him on the tag and no ltd, him sitting out and being ****ed.

You have your chance. Sign him to a big deal if you want, or let him walk.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

You can't tag him again, teams aren't gonna give up a pick and s huge deal for the guy.

The Chiefs could end up having him on the tag and no ltd, him sitting out and being ****ed.

You have your chance. Sign him to a big deal if you want, or let him walk.

Non exclusive means teams can negotiate the deal prior to the trade getting done...but the compensation is negotiated first. Gotta let it be known that he can be had for a second...otherwise let him walk and get a third comp next year for him.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by BossChief

His agent was free to talk to all teams last offseason.

If his agent didn't think he could get that kinda coin, he would have signed a LTD in KC.

Personally, I'd tag him and let it be known that he's available for a 2nd rounder.

If he wants to go to Atlanta, make it their #31 or #32 pick that will be decided this weekend.