Report: Chiefs plan to sign Berry or Poe, franchise tag the other

Kansas City will have some navigating to do this spring, and it will not be an easy task by any means.

As talented and stacked as a roster may be, it can’t stay that way forever. This is the result of the salary cap, one of the main reasons parity exists within the NFL. For the Kansas City Chiefs, they have two major unrestricted free agents looking for money this offseason.

All-Pro safety Eric Berry and NT Dontari Poe are looking to cash out, and the problem for KC is that they have limited cap space to work with. They may need to part ways with players like Nick Foles and even fan favorite Jamaal Charles to keep the ship afloat. Via Jason Cole of Bleacher Report, his sources are telling him that the Chiefs are planning to sign either Berry or Poe. For whichever player they do not sign, they plan on using the franchise tag.

While this all seems like an easy fix, Eric Berry recently made it clear he doesn’t want to be tagged. After being franchise tagged in 2016 for $10.8 million, Berry is looking for long term stability. Considering what he overcame medically and what he has meant to the Chiefs organization, he has every right to the sentiment he has expressed. For the type of man and player Berry is, the Chiefs would be fools to let him walk.

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As for Poe, playing hardball with him makes much more sense. Although he is a fine player and stout up front, Kansas City has plenty of depth on their defensive line. In a perfect world, the Chiefs would love to keep Poe, but losing him is a hit they can afford to take. General manager John Dorsey will have his hands full yet again come free agency.