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.”

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Playing a different position than Poe. And after having only one breakout seasons. Poe's been good to great for like 3 seasons now.

I'd be very curious as to the highest single-season sack total a 3-4 NT has ever recorded.

It doesn't matter. That's where the elite money value is at, like I said.

We just watched one of the better two gap NT prospects I've ever seen fall all the way to the 2nd (Jarran Reed).

Poe does have more value than just about every other NT because of his ability to play on 3rd down, but he's still not at elite interior pass rusher and won't get paid like one unless he explodes this year.

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by DaneMcCloud

Unless Poe has an absolutely breakout year (8+ sacks), he'll get a nice $8-9.5 million dollar contract but there's no way he's getting anywhere the top of the market.

Does anyone really believe that Poe is worth twice as much as Jaye Howard?

This is what I thought too but then DJ thinks Poe will command 12-13.

I really thought the Berry money (10-12 per) could be allocated to Poe (8-9) and rest to of that money to Fisher's deal.

18 million for Poe + Fisher > 12 million for Berry imo

[ct]

Has EB signed the FP contract? Or are we also looking down he barrel of a FP holdout along with the Broncos and Von Miller?

[Quesadilla Joe]

Originally Posted by ct

Has EB signed the FP contract? Or are we also looking down he barrel of a FP holdout along with the Broncos and Von Miller?

There is no incentive for Berry to hold out during the season. The only reason it even kind of makes sense for Von is because it prevents Denver from slapping the exclusive tag on him next year.

Berry could skip training camp but he won't miss a day of the regular season.

[RunKC]

It's pretty simple. The plan is to keep Berry and Poe unless he wants stupid $$. Chris Jones is a replacement for Jaye Howard in 2018 or Dontari Poe in 2017. It just depends on what happens.

If Berry was going to be let go, Dorsey would have drafted his replacement.

[mcaj22]

Originally Posted by RunKC

It's pretty simple. The plan is to keep Berry and Poe unless he wants stupid $$. Chris Jones is a replacement for Jaye Howard in 2018 or Dontari Poe in 2017. It just depends on what happens.

If Berry was going to be let go, Dorsey would have drafted his replacement.

didnt Dorsey just draft three cost controlled defensive backs in the most recent draft lol

[O.city]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

didnt Dorsey just draft three cost controlled defensive backs in the most recent draft lol

Well, to be fair, they also lost 3 in free agency.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by mcaj22

didnt Dorsey just draft three cost controlled defensive backs in the most recent draft lol

I think Russell is a S. Smith/ depth move and Murray is a replacement for Abdullah.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by O.city

We value poe alot here, but statistically, he's not been as dominant as you'd think. I wonder what he'll be looking for.

He's got alot of miles on him, added with the back issue, I'm leary of giving dl like that big deals

He isnt usually going to provide lofty stats, teams are too busy doubling him for that

The guy has freakish stamina for a big man, I'm not worried about his mileage yet... we collectively bitched and moaned for YEARS to finally get an elite DT... now that we have one, I wanna keep him

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

He's playing FS now

People keep saying this shit but just because they put FS before his name doesn't mean he is really playing LIKE a free safety.

He still playing like a really athletic SS that moves all over the field.

Several times he failed to finish at the sideline when he was asked to make a FS type play.

Everyone wants to keep Berry but he is still more effective as a box safety and those don't get 12 million a year.

[SAUTO]

Denver just supposedly offered von 70 million guaranteed.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Chiefshrink

and potentially Poe's replacement.

Originally Posted by Smellway

no we didn't

Yes, we did ...... basically.

Howard is better at NT
Howard is now playing at RDE so Poe can play NT
We just drafted a RDE in Jones
If Poe leaves then Howard will move to NT and Jones will play RDE

We just drafted a replacement for Poe.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

What did you expect him to do?

"Oh hey guys....I know you paid me my contract while I had cancer......so go ahead and put together a new contract that pays me $8 million a year and I'll sign it today."

It's always the players fault when a deal doesn't get done, unless it's Denver/CP

[Red Dawg]

Originally Posted by JASONSAUTO

Denver just supposedly offered von 70 million guaranteed.

Insane.

[RunKC]

Houston making about $20 million less guaranteed $$ looks like one hell of a bargain for us.