Rand Getlin of NFL Media reports that while the Chiefs and free agent S Eric Berry are expected to work towards an agreement on a contract extension, “no significant progress” has been up to this point.
Getlin adds that it’s still hard to imagine the Chiefs allowing Berry to depart in free agency. However, there would be a number of teams interested in him.
This is somewhat interesting, given that Jason Cole of B/R previously reported the Chiefs and Berry could have an agreement in place as soon as the Combine.
Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt has made it clear that they plan to “do everything we can” to re-sign him a few weeks ago.
“Certainly, Eric is somebody that’s very important to the franchise,” Hunt said, via the Kansas City Star. “Coach (Andy) Reid and his staff think highly of him. They appreciate the leader that he’s become, and obviously personally, he had the amazing year overcoming cancer. We’ll do everything we can to try to bring him back.”
“There’s no way that anybody who is involved in professional sports wouldn’t appreciate what he did this year and overcoming what he did and what it took to do that,” Hunt added. “You just add that to his natural leadership abilities, and he certainly was important to the team.”
Berry, 27, worked his way back from Hodgkin’s lymphoma and managed to produce an impressive 2015 season. He’s now in position to be one of the best available players in the free agent market, which should net him an impressive contract.
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 have him featured in our Top 100 – 2016 Free Agents list.
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