Chiefs & S Eric Berry Won’t Get Long-Term Deal Done Before Deadline

Update:

Rand Getlin now reports that the Chiefs and S Eric Berry won’t reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension before the 4pm EST deadline. Getlin adds it never looked good entering today, but this is “final.”

• Mike Garafolo reports that the Chiefs proposed Berry pay for a disability policy that named the team as the beneficiary, but later backed off on this request.
• Garafolo points out that the 49ers actually have a similar policy in place with QB Colin Kaepernick and LT Joe Staley. However, Berry still wasn’t interested in agreeing to this.
• Getlin confirms the report and adds that the policy was worth roughly $20 million and would’ve required Berry to pay a $2 million premium.

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NFL Media reporter Rand Getlin denies that the Chiefs and S Eric Berry have spoken today, and adds that they’re still “miles apart” on an agreement.

• Adam Caplan of ESPN confirms that the situation between the Chiefs and Berry is “very quiet” right now.
• Caplan adds that the two parties reaching an agreement before the upcoming deadline is “highly unlikely” based on where negotiations stand currently.
• Caplan does, however, admit that things could always change, but there’s still a big gap to be bridge in the coming hours.

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Ian Rapoport of NFL Media is now reporting that the Chiefs and franchise S Eric Berry are still working on a long-term contract extension ahead of today’s deadline.

• Rapoport says that the two sides aren’t there yet, but are at least working to get something done.

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Rand Getlin reports that the Chiefs and S Eric Berry made “very little” progress Thursday on a long-term.

• According to Getlin, an agreement before tomorrow’s deadline still appear to be unlikely.

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Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that while the Chiefs and franchise S Eric Berry are not close to an agreement on a long-term contract right now, a deal hasn’t been ruled out.

• Rapoport points out that traditionally Chiefs GM John Dorsey submits his best offer at the deadline.

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Rand Getlin of NFL Media reports that the Chiefs and franchise S Eric Berry are unlikely to reach an agreement on a long-term deal before Friday’s deadline, barring a “significant shift” in the coming days.

• Jason La Canfora confirms that it would take “some major movement” for the two sides to get a deal in place by the end of the week.

Last week, Berry admitted that he’s surprised that contract talks with the team aren’t further along.

“I thought it would progress a little bit more, but it’s still been pretty much the same since the last time we talked,” Berry said, via Herbie Teope of ChiefsDigest.com. “A lot can change in a week; a lot can change from whenever the deadline is.”

Berry did, however, reiterate that he wants to remain with the Chiefs long-term and added that nothing has changed in this regard.

“Obviously, I would love to be a Chief,” Berry said. “I want to be a Chief long-term just because of the community, the staff, from top to bottom, the players and everything.

“That’s what I’m really focused on, 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. So, that’s why I’m handling everything I can do on my end to make sure I don’t slip.”

Before that, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that there’s a “reasonable chance” Berry ends up being the highest-paid safety in the NFL at some point in the near future.

According to Fowler, Berry has his eyes set on a big contract that could top the five-year, $51.25-million deal signed by Vikings S Harrison Smith a few weeks ago.

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.

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.

We’ll have more regarding a new contract for Berry as the news is available.