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.”

[Titty Meat]

I hope Dorset doesn't end up getting taken for a ride on this one but the Bowen, Colquitt, Hali deals .....

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by O.city

I was talking about the cancer and recovery etc.

Oh.

So not dying was a benevolent move now?

Give me a break. 'What he did for them' is a complete non-starter. He went out there to play football because he recovered from cancer and it was his job to play football. His alternative was die or retire. What credit does he deserve for doing neither?

[RunKC]

Most likely outcome is playing on the tag and then losing him next spring.

Losing Berry would mean losing three of the four guys at that position last year. Doesn't sound like a good situation heading into this year.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by O.city

Or all he did for them?

IDK man we just won a playoff game 6 years into his career and I know that's not all his fault. He was the highest paid safety for awhile and all reports indicate the Chiefs aren't low balling him so the ball is in his court.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

How would it?

He was tagged before FA began in earnest; most teams that would have considered EB made other plans once KC placed the tag on him.

[kcpasco]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Jesus...**** that.

Yeah, because guys that miss all of camp AND the pre-season have such sterling injury histories.

If the dude sits out, he's going to be about as effective as Fleming and at a low cost of $11 million.

No !@#$ing way. Paying the guy after he sits out would be an absolute disaster. Frankly, I think Berry knows it but he's trying to bait the Chiefs into pulling the tag so he can go get a deal.

But this is a game of chicken. If the Chiefs release him late enough, he's not going to have a bunch of teams that are after him because there's not enough time to integrate him into the defense. Moreover, their cap plans for the next year or two will be largely laid out.

If the Chiefs pull it now, he may still get a nice deal. Every week they get closer to the regular season, those chances diminish. I think he signs when camp ends because I don't think KC has the juevos to rescind the tag.

Closer to the season starting he might have to sign a 1 or 2 year deal for less money if rescinded. Ya he is kind of being an idiot for not signing the tag.

[O.city]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Oh.

So not dying was a benevolent move now?

Give me a break. 'What he did for them' is a complete non-starter. He went out there to play football because he recovered from cancer and it was his job to play football. His alternative was die or retire. What credit does he deserve for doing neither?

I'm just saying going thru chemo radiation and not dying, then coming back and having my best year as a pro, I understand being a little upset.

It is what it is

[ct]

EB's "family" is in Atlanta, not KC. Anyone who feels otherwise is looking at their priorities based on football, not life.

Berry is not obligated to give KC a team friendly deal. He wants what he feels he deserves. KC wants to pay what they feel he is worth. These two things are clearly far apart.

I would guess he'll eventually show up, play well, get paid $10.M, and sign with someone else for big $ next offseason. We will get a nice comp pick in 2018 for losing him.

If we rescind the tag and he would get his big $ this season, we could get a comp pick in 2017. So imo, our decision at this point should be solely based on does EB give us a better chance to win, and i mean win in Jan-Feb 2017 not Sep-Dec 2016 vs. plugging another guy in (Murray/Brown/FA?), plus anyone else we might add with the 10.8M in cap $, plus an earlier comp pick for losing him?

I say keep him, use him, he gives us a better chance to win than a rookie or journeyman or any other FA spend with that money, and let him find his best deal next year. we are loaded for a run NOW! Go for it NOW!

[SAUTO]

Originally Posted by Sandy Cheeks

Berry Fan >>>> Chiefs Fan = ^^

You have got to be mentally disabled, like for real.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by ct

EB's "family" is in Atlanta, not KC. Anyone who feels otherwise is looking at their priorities based on football, not life.

Berry is not obligated to give KC a team friendly deal. He wants what he feels he deserves. KC wants to pay what they feel he is worth. These two things are clearly far apart.

I would guess he'll eventually show up, play well, get paid $10.M, and sign with someone else for big $ next offseason. We will get a nice comp pick in 2018 for losing him.

If we rescind the tag and he would get his big $ this season, we could get a comp pick in 2017. So imo, our decision at this point should be solely based on does EB give us a better chance to win, and i mean win in Jan-Feb 2017 not Sep-Dec 2016 vs. plugging another guy in (Murray/Brown/FA?), plus anyone else we might add with the 10.8M in cap $, plus an earlier comp pick for losing him?

I say keep him, use him, he gives us a better chance to win than a rookie or journeyman or any other FA spend with that money, and let him find his best deal next year. we are loaded for a run NOW! Go for it NOW!

Chiefs should have reduced Berry's salary last year when they had the chance. **** him, dog eat dog.

Berry doesn't give a shit about KC.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Bowser

Grunhard is on 810 talking about this right now. Saying he thinks Berry got his feelings hurt by how the Chiefs approached his contract, but says the Chiefs did the right thing.

The Chiefs stood by Berry when it was questionable whether he would ever play again. I don't have an issue with them expecting a little credit for that at contract time.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

How would it?

There's gotta be a rule about that somewhere. Otherwise you may as well not have the new deal deadline in July.

If there's no rule against it, then teams could just negotiate past the deadline into August, get it drawn up with verbal consent, then rescind the tag and have the guy sign the dotted line in the same day.

[ToxSocks]

Jesus. So much Berry hate. These are just negotiations. Some of you are acting like he killed your first born.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

There's gotta be a rule about that somewhere. Otherwise you may as well not have the new deal deadline in July.

If there's no rule against it, then teams could just negotiate past the deadline into August, get it drawn up with verbal consent, then rescind the tag and have the guy sign the dotted line in the same day.

The bolded part I'm sure is not legal.

The part I'm talking about is rescinding the tag and firing up negotiations afterwards.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

The bolded part I'm sure is not legal.

The part I'm talking about is rescinding the tag and firing up negotiations afterwards.

Because the teams that potentially would have signed EB to a deal better than what KC offered during Free Agency in March no longer have the capability to do so in July.

From the perspective of the NFLPA, you might argue KC tampered with EB by preventing him from realizing his true market value.