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]

Berry deserves every damn penny. Besides, that contract will look fine as more guys get their deals in the future. It's just the way it works.

[ThaVirus]

It's tough to tell what Dorsey was thinking when Berry got diagnosed but they took a wait-and-see approach and it worked out in their favor. They both helped each other out.

If they cut him, he comes back and has back-to-back All-Pro seasons for someone else, potentially a division or conference rival.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

It's tough to tell what Dorsey was thinking when Berry got diagnosed but they took a wait-and-see approach and it worked out in their favor. They both helped each other out.

If they cut him, he comes back and has back-to-back All-Pro seasons for someone else, potentially a division or conference rival.

How did Berry help the Chiefs in that situation?

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by pugsnotdrugs19

Everyone wants to assume that the Chiefs did him a massive favor by paying him during his cancer battle?.... What else were they gonna do?

Do you really think they were gonna say, "Eh, too bad guy, good luck with your chemo and we'll keep all your money." Lol.

How did they not do him a massive favor? They didn't have to pay Berry. They could have chosen to pay an x% of his salary. Instead, they paid Berry his full 8 million. That's a franchise doing something they didn't have to for a player. Maybe it was a kindness favor and one they likely "should" have done, but it's a huge favor none-the-less.

You do realize that Berry hasn't really "earned" about 16 million so far with the Chiefs due to injury and cancer?

Either way, I don't think Berry is worth a dime over 10 m per and the Chiefs should stick to it or let his ass walk.

[RunKC]

The Texans didn't have to pay JJ Watt $14.5 million for missing most of this season.
The Vikings didn't have to pay AD $12 million for missing most of this season.

It's hilarious to think any team would be stupid enough to not pay Berry after he got cancer.
The guy owes the Chiefs one thing: safety play worth the $$ they pay. Last year he was an all pro.

And if you were Eric, you'd be doing the same thing he is right now.

[mdstu]

Originally Posted by RunKC

The Texans didn't have to pay JJ Watt $14.5 million for missing most of this season.
The Vikings didn't have to pay AD $12 million for missing most of this season.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they did.

[Chief Northman]

Originally Posted by RunKC

The Texans didn't have to pay JJ Watt $14.5 million for missing most of this season.
The Vikings didn't have to pay AD $12 million for missing most of this season.

It's hilarious to think any team would be stupid enough to not pay Berry after he got cancer.
The guy owes the Chiefs one thing: safety play worth the $$ they pay. Last year he was an all pro.

And if you were Eric, you'd be doing the same thing he is right now.

C'mon Run, Watt and AP sustained injuries that you can come back from.

The elephant in the room with Berry was/is the uncertainty around the cancer coming back. Totally different.

Berry balled out this year - great for him.
The Chiefs paid him handsomely over the course of his career thus far. Tagging him last season was prudent given the uncertainty of his health, yet risky in that if he balled out, they knew they would have to pay him handsomely.

So here we are.....

[Nickhead]

in the amount of years he has left to play football, i would not worry about a relapse in his recovery. its not like to this day, he is not taking some form of preventative medication to stave a potential relapse off.

i bet he takes more medication in one day that i take in a year, for anything.

as long as he doesn't try and break the bank, sign him. just don't let him go for nothing if the sides can't reach a deal.

[kccrow]

Berry has already made $60,851,000 off the Chiefs. Monetary security shouldn't really be a question, so I have a bit of problem with him saying he "definitely won't play under the franchise tag." He isn't waiting for his first big pay day in the league, unlike several other guys that get tagged before getting "monster" second contracts.

I understand that he says he wants to stay in KC and all of that. I think there has to be a certain balance between trying to squeeze every dime out of the team and appreciating what they've done to this point while also not cap ****ing them to keep your final years from being an noncompetitive disaster. Quite honestly, what's the difference if you finish your career having made 110 million or 120 million? Either way, you have way more money than you, your kids, and your grand kids will likely ever need.

[Nickhead]

Originally Posted by kccrow

Berry has already made $60,851,000 off the Chiefs. Monetary security shouldn't really be a question, so I have a bit of problem with him saying he "definitely won't play under the franchise tag." He isn't waiting for his first big pay day in the league, unlike several other guys that get tagged before getting "monster" second contracts.

I understand that he says he wants to stay in KC and all of that. I think there has to be a certain balance between trying to squeeze every dime out of the team and appreciating what they've done to this point while also not cap ****ing them to keep your final years from being an noncompetitive disaster. Quite honestly, what's the difference if you finish your career having made 110 million or 120 million? Either way, you have way more money than you, your kids, and your grand kids will likely ever need.

i think im getting old. your first sentence made me realize, again, as i had forgotten... **** these pricks whatever they are asking. it used to be a sport for both fans and players, now its just sport for the fans. and **** the owners too for not eliminating poverty.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Berry was an all pro. He's not taking less than he deserves

And we have no reason to believe that's not what's being offered to him now. He wants high end CB money, which is out of his realm. Even as an all pro.

It's pretty simple really.

[Nickhead]

i have joked before, but maybe players should be able to be sued if they under perform

[ThaVirus]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

How did Berry help the Chiefs in that situation?

By working through a situation that would kill or at least have ended most careers and arguably coming out better in the end. The guy gained weight during chemo.

He had a season ending injury. Really only missed four games after his diagnosis. No biggie. Replace the cancer with a hamstring injury or something and realize the team had essentially no reason to cut him.

[beach tribe]

I'm a TN native and Berry is my favorite player.

That said, if you can get a first in 2018 and a pick this year....Pull the trigger.

Draft a FQB in 2018.

[beach tribe]

Berry doesn't owe this team shit, fellas.
Nothing.

Go ahead and get that out of your heads.