Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry may end up playing the 2016 season under the one-year franchise tag.
According to Rand Getlin of NFL Network, the Chiefs and Berry are “unlikely” to come to an agreement on a new long-term deal before Friday’s deadline for franchise-tagged players.
Absent a significant shift in the next two days, I’m told the #Chiefs and Eric Berry are unlikely to come to terms on a long-term deal.
— Rand Getlin (@Rand_Getlin) July 13, 2016
Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported the same, citing the need for “major movement” to get a deal done between the two sides.
At this point would take some major movement for the Chiefs and Eric Berry to strike a long term deal by the deadline Fri
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) July 13, 2016
Berry, 27, returned from winning a battle against Hodgkin’s lymphoma to make the Pro Bowl in 2015. He intercepted two passes and made 61 tackles for Kansas City’s third-ranked scoring defense, helping the Chiefs win 11 games and make the postseason as an AFC wild card.
The Chiefs gave him the franchise tag on the first day of March, keeping Berry out of free agency. The one-year tender is worth $10.8 million.
Berry is likely looking for a deal in the ballpark of Harrison Smith’s five year, $51.25 million agreement with the Minnesota Vikings.
The Chiefs drafted Berry with the fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft. He’s intercepted 10 passes, with 41 passes defended, 5.5 sacks, three touchdowns and two forced fumbles over 70 career games.
If no deal is reached by Friday, Berry will be forced to play the 2016 season under the tag, with no opportunity to negotiate a new contract before the end of next season.
