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.”

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

Being popular amongst players doesn't equate to fan recognition.

I bet most of us could name the starting QB and 2 of the biggest playmakers for each team

Ask yourself, can you name the top two defensive players from every football team? Berry doesn't get national recognition or exposure (articles, ESPN, commercials) like you dummies would like to believe.

The dude beat cancer. ESPN and other media pushed it hard because it's a great ****ing feel-good story. Were you living under a rock when that was going on in 2015?

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by BryanBusby

Berry gets a lot of exposure. Shut the **** up you useless, ignorant troll.

How many commercials has Berry been in? How many has Sherman/JJ watt/Von Miller been in?

He's not a household name.

[TigeRRUppeRRcut]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

The dude beat cancer. ESPN and other media pushed it hard because it's a great ****ing feel-good story. Were you living under a rock when that was going on in 2015?

ESPN pushed a story for what 1 or 2 times. How many stories do they crank out a day and how much of that do you even remember?

Berry is NOT a household name. He's also not a player that opposing players fear. He's an above average player and a locker room leader. That's it. Quit lying to yourself.

[vailpass]

Hootie needs a playmate in Romper exile.

[MeatRock]

Originally Posted by vailpass

Hootie needs a playmate in Romper exile.

Shhhhhhhh.......don't say that Vail, we don't want Tiger having another nervous breakdown again. It was too pathetic the first time around.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

At least Berry gets SOME love and recognition, which is more than we can say for Alex.

That dude ain't loved by ANYONE but Reid, and even that may be fading.

[RunKC]

I can't think of a more misinformed poster than Tigerblackbob. Has he ever posted anything that is right?

His account has to be a troll account purposefully trolling us. The only other explanation in play here is pure stupidity.

He's wrong, again (surprise!). Berry was the Chiefs best jersey seller a couple years ago and he was the 4th highest rookie jersey bought in 2010.

[Chief Northman]

Kelce is the most marketable Chief because he speaks his mind and has had episodes of bucking "authority". Plays well into the young, white, redneck demographic too.

[Reerun_KC]

Damn this thread is being seriously trolled...

[pugsnotdrugs19]

This has to be a troll job. You cannot be serious with this shit about Berry.

[Nickhead]

berry doesn't have the supporting cast to allow himself to 'roam free'. he has to calculate every move in order to adjust to the rest of the defenses weakness's. if he had more trust in the front seven, he could go all ed reed on everyone.

in saying that, unless the chiefs upgrade the interior line, and the linebackers, he may as well go somewhere else and emulate ray lewis as a safety, because there is no reason to pay a crosswalk guard to do a hitmans job.

[BossChief]

For Eric to earn the contract he's seeking, the following things will need to happen:

1) he needs to stay cancer free. I know it's not his choice, but we're talking about huge money here. Roughly 8% of the cap for a safety...If the cancer returns, the team cant go down with him.
2) he needs to play every year at the level he played 2016.
3) he needs to be "Ray Lewis" in the locker room the next 5 years.
4) his Achilles needs to hold up throughout the contract

If any of those don't happen, KC is gonna get burned.

[ChiefAshhole1056]

Originally Posted by TigerUppercut

How many commercials has Berry been in? How many has Sherman/JJ watt/Von Miller been in?

He's not a household name.

When the SB came to Houston a few weeks ago, EB was possibly the most interviewed player to hit the circuits. He's a very popular player amongst the league and fans.

I really don't think you believe what you're saying because you seem to have this weird affinity for "trolling" or whatever niche you think it is you're pulling off. There's some other controversial takes you can try to go for, but this isn't one of them.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Nobody knows who Berry is? Good Lord, lock this clown in the Romper OR better yet Draft Planet...nobody goes in there anyway.

[pugsnotdrugs19]

Originally Posted by BossChief

For Eric to earn the contract he's seeking, the following things will need to happen:

1) he needs to stay cancer free. I know it's not his choice, but we're talking about huge money here. Roughly 8% of the cap for a safety...If the cancer returns, the team cant go down with him.
2) he needs to play every year at the level he played 2016.
3) he needs to be "Ray Lewis" in the locker room the next 5 years.
4) his Achilles needs to hold up throughout the contract

If any of those don't happen, KC is gonna get burned.

#3 is safe. #2 and #4 are risks for every player in the league. #1 is not likely.