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.”

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

The opportunity to continue playing alongside guys that he's called 'his family' over the last several years.

He's set for life even if he'd have signed a low-ball offer with KC.

But it's not a money thing; it's a pride thing. Eric Berry believes he's the best safety in football and should be paid as such. I disagree with him, but it's at least an argument worth having. Berry sees any deal less than that as a shot at his ability and as such, won't agree to it.

He put pride ahead of 'his family'....or he was just full of shit.

Either way, I don't really care. Giving him 5/$50 would've been a mistake, IMO. He's given the Chiefs an opportunity to dodge the bullet and it's an out they should take.

What would you do? Roll that over to next year and pay Poe with a lot of draft picks in 2017?

[O.city]

I'd have approached him earlier about a deal before I tagged him, if he was dead set on what he wanted, I'd have not tagged him, looked at other safety options and moved on.

[DaneMcCloud]

It was reported this morning that if the Chiefs rescinded the tag, no team would pay Berry even close to the $10.8 million dollar tag number.

Rescind the tag.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Oh, yeah.

Well, given the choice between working with my friends and an extra $8m or whatever I think I'd take the money.

Maybe.

But let's say you're sitting on a trust fund. And as part of that trust fund, if you work for 3 more years, you'll pretty much never have to work another day in your life and you'll live in pretty much unparalleled luxury wherever you choose to go.

Would you rather work with your friends or would you rather make another 10%? Knowing full well that your taken care of whether you get that extra 10% or not.

That's why I don't think this has anything to do with money. If I were sitting on $60 million (essentially the ability to spend $100,000/mo until I die) and a vested NFL pension which would put me in the top 3% of income earners on its own, I'd rather play with my buddies than make a few more dollars. I'd rather stay where I'm comfortable; where I know the staff, the coaches, the town.

And I think most would do the same. I think his pride is wounded here because honestly, I just can't quite wrap my head around the alternative, which is just 'Scrooge McDuckian' greed - greed for greed's sake.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by O.city

I'd have approached him earlier about a deal before I tagged him, if he was dead set on what he wanted, I'd have not tagged him, looked at other safety options and moved on.

Well, that's kind of difficult to pull off when the owner states publicly that he wants Berry has a life long Chief.

Hunt screwed Dorsey's leverage.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

It was reported this morning that if the Chiefs rescinded the tag, no team would pay Berry even close to the $10.8 million dollar tag number.

Rescind the tag.

Where was this reported??

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by RunKC

What would you do? Roll that over to next year and pay Poe with a lot of draft picks in 2017?

Said it 2 weeks ago - that's exactly what I'd do.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Well, that's kind of difficult to pull off when the owner states publicly that he wants Berry has a life long Chief.

Hunt screwed Dorsey's leverage.

Eh, maybe. I dunno how much they'd take that into account.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

It was reported this morning that if the Chiefs rescinded the tag, no team would pay Berry even close to the $10.8 million dollar tag number.

Rescind the tag.

If they pull it, can the Chiefs engage in market discussions with him?

Right now they can't agree to a LTC, but if they yank the tag and cast him out in the market, wouldn't that seem to put them back in the mix as he's a UFA at that point.

It makes all the sense in the world. I suspect they're just waiting to get through a few practices - maybe a pre-season game - to see what they have.

[O.city]

Pull the tag, let him test the market. Give him your best offer and see if he can or can't find better. If not, the market just negotiated for you

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

It was reported this morning that if the Chiefs rescinded the tag, no team would pay Berry even close to the $10.8 million dollar tag number.

Rescind the tag.

No way. I almost guarantee you that a team like the Browns, 49ers or Titans would pay him that.

[O.city]

****, dj technically said it first but I think I typed it first

[RunKC]

If we rescind the tag, Berry is gone. Not paying him what he wants and then rescinding his $11 million guaranteed? You wouldn't want to stay after that either

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If they pull it, can the Chiefs engage in market discussions with him?

I brought that up yesterday. I believe that if they pull the tag.....that they would be able to work on a deal with him because he'd be an UFA.

[O.city]

I'd say the bridge is burned anyway so yeah, he's probably gone