Chiefs chairman Clark Hunt mentioned earlier in the week at the owners meetings that he’s “hopeful” they’ll be able to reach a long-term agreement with franchise S Eric Berry before the July deadline.
“Well, I’m hopeful that we’ll be able to get a long-term deal with him done here in the next several months,” Hunt said, via Terez A. Paylor of the Kansas City Star. “He’s certainly somebody that we would like to be a Chief for a very, very long time.”
According to Hunt, Berry has given them the impression that he would like to be a part of their franchise for the foreseeable future.
“In my conversations with him, I have the sense that he also likes the organization and believes in the direction that we’re going, and would like to be a part of the program for the foreseeable future,” Hunt said.
Hunt added that GM John Dorsey has been in contact with Berry’s representatives in recent months regarding a long-term extension.
“Yeah, (general manager) John Dorsey has been in contact with his agent going back several months,” Hunt said. “The franchise tag is just a part of the process to hopefully getting a long-term deal done here in the near future.”
Berry, 27, worked his way back from Hodgkin’s lymphoma and managed to produce an impressive 2015 season. if a former first-round pick of the Chiefs back in 2010. He played out his rookie contract with the team before receiving the team’s franchise tag a few week ago.
The franchise tag will run the Chiefs $10.806 million fully guaranteed for the 2016 season, but won’t prevent them from negotiating a long-term deal that would reduce this figure and offer them some additional cap space.
In 2015, Berry appeared in all 16 games and recorded 61 tackles, two interceptions, and 10 pass defenses for the Chiefs. Pro Football Focus has him rated as the No. 4 safety out of 88 qualifying players.
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