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.”

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Urc Burry

It's not a favor. It was treated as a season ending injury which it ended up being. 31 other teams do the same exact thing.

And that "just pay the man his money" is wrong. Poe had been good for us, but people are more than okay with letting him walk.

No, it was non-football related season-ending disease.

[Hog's Gone Fishin]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Yeah not paying Berry when he had cancer would have been a disaster. FA's wouldn't want to come here after that.

Yep, especially FA's with cancer.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

Once again you are just taking the players side on the matter, ignoring a bunch chunk of the facts. Berry got paid millions when he wasn't playing at all because the Chiefs CHOSE to be nice.

Berry is not returning the favor.

Fans just want those mean owners to pay every player 10 million dollars per game because the fans like the players, not the owners.

"JUST PAY THE MAN HIS MONEY" is the CP mantra just about every time a contract comes up.


FYI Houston and Charles just got paid million this year for not doing a damn thing. So are we going to demand that they return that money since we are basing pay on performance?

If you're going to go off on management for this, at least know the facts. Justin Houston agreed to restructure and give $6 million in cap space this year.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Can we put a whining provision in the CP rompericon?? JFC

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Yeah not paying Berry when he had cancer would have been a disaster. FA's wouldn't want to come here after that.

Yes the FAs have been totally beating down our doors since we did that. They all want to come to KC.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Bugeater;12742908[B

]Yes the FAs have been totally beating down our doors since we did that.[/B] They all want to come to KC.

Our stock has gone up considerably among FA's but unless you are a FA Quarterback looking for a new home, I don't envision many players looking to KC as an opportunity to compete for a championship.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Dagnabit

Our stock has gone up considerably among FA's but unless you are a FA Quarterback looking for a new home, I don't envision many players looking to KC as an opportunity to compete for a championship.

I don't understand how one can gauge that. FAs want to go where A) they can get the most money or B) where they can win a championship.

KC is neither of those places.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Bugeater

I don't understand how one can gauge that. FAs want to go where A) they can get the most money or B) where they can win a championship.

KC is neither of those places.

Well, KC has shown that it will pay out handsome contracts to elite talent( Houston )but when it comes to competing for 'ships, they don't have much to offer until the QB spot is shored-up.

[Coogs]

Me. I tag him. Then if he wants to go to Atlanta, the deal gets done for their 1st round pick in this years draft. That would give us #27 and #31.

[Bugeater]

Originally Posted by Dagnabit

Well, KC has shown that it will pay out handsome contracts to elite talent( Houston )but when it comes to competing for 'ships, they don't have much to offer until the QB spot is shored-up.

So the FA argument is bullshit and we can lay that to rest.

[BossChief]

Originally Posted by Coogs

Me. I tag him. Then if he wants to go to Atlanta, the deal gets done for their 1st round pick in this years draft. That would give us #27 and #31.

I'd take their second or even their third, if Berrys agent isn't reasonable...but I highly doubt anyone is going to trade for Berry AND give him a rediculous contract.

[Chief Northman]

Originally Posted by BossChief

I'd take their second or even their third, if Berrys agent isn't reasonable...but I highly doubt anyone is going to trade for Berry AND give him a rediculous contract.

I think Atlanta or Tennessee would pony up.

If the Chiefs are smart, they ask for a 2018 first round pick. Get ammo for that yuge QB class.....

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Chief Northman

I think Atlanta or Tennessee would pony up.

If the Chiefs are smart, they ask for a 2018 first round pick. Get ammo for that yuge QB class.....

Damn, Chief Northman discussing QB replacement?

Oh how the times have changed....

(for the better)

[Nickhead]

don't the chiefs get two first round picks for berry if he is tagged and leaves?

[Mother****erJones]

This is a hard sell to the fanbase moving Berry to another team. He won as many games for this team last year as Alex did. If this truly meant getting a future QB in 2018. Then so be it. We run all these great defensive and offensive players onto the Arrowhead grass but never a QB. I'm just over this shit. I don't want Eric to leave. This seems to be a big chess match that KC will cave or Berry will leave for Atlanta. I think Andy could work with one of these young top QBs in this draft. Would be awesome to see this team grow a pair and trade up for a QB for once. Another year of not drafting a future QB means another wasteful year. Alex isn't taking this team past the divisional round. His ceiling has been reached.