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.”

[BlackOp]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Dorsey pushing Berry to buy disability insurance and put the Chiefs as a beneficiary is absolutely 100% embarrassing and it makes the franchise look like a bunch of greedy assholes.

$2220+ million from the NFL to Clark this year and he can't py a $2 million premium?

Jesus

How do you know this wasn't in reaction to unrealistic expectations set by Berry's agent? Dorsey doesn't strike me as the type to open negotiations with such a pragmatic, impersonal clause...The fact they saw eye to eye on ZERO elements says this was of Berry's doing..and WHO leaked this insurance provision to the media? It certainly wasn't KC...

I'm starting to think Berry's Zen-speech shtick is a load of horseshit...When KC helped Hali's family escape a war-torn environment, he never forgot the favor. That's how a real leader repays his gratitude...it's deeper than money.

Asking Berry to cover the risk...when they already paid him $5 million while on chemo? **** him...unappreciative asshole. He's been over-hyped since before he ever took a snap...and definitely over-paid his entire NFL career. Bye Bye...let some other sucker buy the hype and over-pay for him.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Dorsey pushing Berry to buy disability insurance and put the Chiefs as a beneficiary is absolutely 100% embarrassing and it makes the franchise look like a bunch of greedy assholes.

$2220+ million from the NFL to Clark this year and he can't py a $2 million premium?

Jesus

Bullshit on all counts.

Berry isn't insolvent. He wanted $12 million a year and a $35 million in guarantees, yet his cancer could return at any minute, wrecking the Chiefs salary cap.

After paying him more than $2.5 million dollars for games he was unable to play due to his cancer, repaying the favor was the least he could do.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Dorsey pushing Berry to buy disability insurance and put the Chiefs as a beneficiary is absolutely 100% embarrassing and it makes the franchise look like a bunch of greedy assholes.

$2220+ million from the NFL to Clark this year and he can't py a $2 million premium?

Jesus

Like I had said earlier, the Chiefs picking up the tab for that policy might be a violation of the CBA.

[MMXcalibur]

Usually I'm on the side of the player in any and all of these negotiations, but it sounds like the Chiefs did right by Berry by paying him during his cancer battle and they are completely in the right to want to protect themselves should that awfulness return.

I hope this all works out in the end, but it's going to be a long while before they head back to the negotiating table.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Like I had said earlier, the Chiefs picking up the tab for that policy might be a violation of the CBA.

If not in text than in understood dictation from the NFLPA.

[Discuss Thrower]

Berry is 100% within the right to seek the maximum amount of compensation a team would be willing to give him. The team is 100% within reason to offer Berry a contract that belies his worth to winning games. If these two directives can't be arbitrated then it's likely Berry will find a team willing to meet almost 100% of his wants even though he likely won't play to that salary value from the team's perspective.

Same can be said for pretty much every player that's received top dollar for their respective position in particular or as a football player in general.

I've yet to be convinced JJ Watt is worth every penny he's accounting for in the Texans' salary cap because of how much of an opportunity cost Houston has exchanged in signing FAs or extending drafted players. The same has been said ad nauseum for the guys at the more important position in Luck and Flacco and an argument can be made that the same applies to Justin Houston and Von Miller as well.

"The market" is out of whack for correctly valuing a player's worth to a team seeking a championship, IMO. But it's tough to really make a big deal about it when you consider how much of a physical sacrifice players make in order to enrich a bunch of billionaire jerkoffs.

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

If not in text than in understood dictation from the NFLPA.

Not sure why they don't tell Berry to form a bullshit company that they could funnel money to him through, ala Brady.

[DaneMcCloud]

Originally Posted by Discuss Thrower

Berry is 100% within the right to seek the maximum amount of compensation a team would be willing to give him. The team is 100% within reason to offer Berry a contract that belies his worth to winning games. If these two directives can't be arbitrated then it's likely Berry will find a team willing to meet almost 100% of his wants even though he likely won't play to that salary value from the team's perspective.

Same can be said for pretty much every player that's received top dollar for their respective position in particular or as a football player in general.

I've yet to be convinced JJ Watt is worth every penny he's accounting for in the Texans' salary cap because of how much of an opportunity cost Houston has exchanged in signing FAs or extending drafted players. The same has been said ad nauseum for the guys at the more important position in Luck and Flacco and an argument can be made that the same applies to Justin Houston and Von Miller as well.

"The market" is out of whack for correctly valuing a player's worth to a team seeking a championship, IMO. But it's tough to really make a big deal about it when you consider how much of a physical sacrifice players make in order to enrich a bunch of billionaire jerkoffs.

JJ Watt's contract didn't prohibit the Texans from signing a seven game starting game QB to a 4 year, $72 million dollar contract nor did it stop them from signing Lamar Miller to a 4 year, $26 million dollar deal.

[BlackOp]

If Berry had proven to be a game changing player...like say a Troy Polamalu or Ed Reed, he could ask to be paid as the best. Right now, after watching every snap of his career...he's not at that level. He's an above average player with an enormous amount of media hype.

Dorsey see's through this bullshit.....he can go back to playing for Pioli...who over-drafted him in the first place. Didn't like the pick then...dont like it now. Beating cancer is the best thing he has done....

Inspirational speeches dont make you the best at your craft.....

[BryanBusby]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

JJ Watt's contract didn't prohibit the Texans from signing a seven game starting game QB to a 4 year, $72 million dollar contract nor did it stop them from signing Lamar Miller to a 4 year, $26 million dollar deal.

Most of that roster is dirt cheap right now. Things will get tighter when they have to spend big money on their top WR and Mercilus.

[Discuss Thrower]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

JJ Watt's contract didn't prohibit the Texans from signing a seven game starting game QB to a 4 year, $72 million dollar contract nor did it stop them from signing Lamar Miller to a 4 year, $26 million dollar deal.

Are the Texans a legitimate Super Bowl contender going into this season because of one super athletic DE, a QB that is as overpaid as he is unproven and a veteran RB?

[milkman]

Originally Posted by jaa1025

Im not worried. I wouldnt pay Berry that money if he's regulated to SS position and can only play up the box. If he shows he can play at a high level as FS on an island then absolutely pay the man.

Is there anyone that actually knows what the hell they are talking about?

Originally Posted by BlackOp

If Berry had proven to be a game changing player...like say a Troy Polamalu or Ed Reed, he could ask to be paid as the best. Right now, after watching every snap of his career...he's not at that level. He's an above average player with an enormous amount of media hype.

Dorsey see's through this bullshit.....he can go back to playing for Pioli...who over-drafted him in the first place. Didn't like the pick then...dont like it now. Beating cancer is the best thing he has done....

Inspirational speeches dont make you the best at your craft.....

As I said elsewhere, even Ed Reed would not be Ed Reed in today's NFL.
TP is the closer comparison, and that isn't even close, because TP wasn't nearly as versatile.

Berry has lined up as a single high safety, a FS, a SS, an IlB, lined up over the TE, and lined up over the slot.

Berry's value is in his unmatched versatility, which allows Sutton to get really creative with different packages.

Sadly, Berry and his agent appear to have over estimated that value.

Part of the reason for that is the stupid contract that Harrison Smith signed.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by KCtotheSB

Usually I'm on the side of the player in any and all of these negotiations, but it sounds like the Chiefs did right by Berry by paying him during his cancer battle and they are completely in the right to want to protect themselves should that awfulness return.

I hope this all works out in the end, but it's going to be a long while before they head back to the negotiating table.

The Chiefs also payed Charles during both his tears.

It was a health issue - and not a legal issue - the Chiefs should have payed them...

[planetdoc]

Originally Posted by Rausch

The Chiefs also payed Charles during both his tears.

It was a health issue - and not a legal issue - the Chiefs should have payed them...

Charles had football related injuries while Berry did not have a football related illness. The rules on payment for those are different.

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Berry isn't insolvent. He wanted $12 million a year and a $35 million in guarantees

Where did you hear this? Can you share a link?