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KC Chiefs: Will Eric Berry Remain A Chief

By Scott Dillon

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The KC Chiefs have been rumored to be in talks with free agent safety Eric Berry. Recent reports are that talks have stalled.

Kansas City has been on a bit of a cloud in recent months. The baseball team is suddenly the best team in baseball after years of dwelling in the cellar. The football team has shown signs of life each of the past three seasons and put together their own incredible comeback story in 2015. Of all the comeback stories that KC sports has become accustomed to over the past few months, Eric Berry’s is by far the best.

Eric Berry was one of the best ‘feel good’ stories in all of football last season. The KC Chiefs star had already endeared himself to fans in Kansas City, but his triumphant return after beating cancer took the league by storm.

He didn’t just beat cancer, he destroyed it. He worked out rigorously in-spite of the effects the cancer treatment took on his body. Battered and mentally strained, Berry defied the odds to not only make it back to the NFL, but to be ready by opening day.

Last week, news broke that Eric Berry was going to be the Chiefs’ top priority this off-0season and a deal could be done before the combine. Now it seems like Berry may get to test the free agent market. Rand Getlin, a reporter with NFL Network tweeted the following today:

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It is hard to imagine the Chiefs parting ways with Eric Berry for a number of reasons. He’s not just one of the best safeties in the league, he’s an inspirational player and a fan favorite. He’s also a four-time Pro-Bowler as well as a two-time All-Pro.

It took Berry a couple of games to get his feet underneath him but once he got going he put a pretty good season. He only had 61 combined tackles this year but tied a career high in passes defended with ten.

By the time the Chiefs made it to San Diego, Berry was back in full form. He had just defended four passes and had an interception the week prior in Denver and in San Diego he put together one of his best games of the season. Berry recorded eight tackles in that game including this one:

This tackle showed not only had Berry returned to form, but showed just how much athleticism and agility he has. He maneuvered around the block with a swim-like move that kept the Chargers in check for just a short gain. The Chiefs would go on to win the game 33-3.

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While it’s unlikely the Chiefs are actually prepared to let Berry test free agency, it’s more likely they’re prepared to use the franchise tag on him. They pulled a similar stunt last year when the franchised Justin Houston in order to work out a long-term deal.

The only real downside to using the franchise tag on Berry should he eventually agree to a long-term contract is that they don’t get to use the franchise tag on another player. Sean Smith is someone it could make sense to use the tag on, but this would likely see him test free agency.

The Chiefs are still in good position in terms of cap space and their strong drafts the last two seasons. Justin Houston’s deal may turn out to be a killer for the Chiefs as he eats up more and more cap space. If he under-performs again in 2016, it would be a smart move to restructure his contract if he’s willing to negotiate. He sported an inked up number 29 on his undershirt last season, so perhaps he knows a little bit about playing for something bigger than himself.

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what do you think KC Chiefs’ fans? Will the Chiefs get something done with Eric Berry sooner rather than later? Will they keep him at all or will they look for a less expensive option? Let’s discuss in the comments’ section below.

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