Chiefs apply franchise tag to Eric Berry
By Jacob Yturri
Eric Berry was officially given the franchise tag by the Kansas City Chiefs.
Per the NFL Network’s Rand Getlin, All-Pro safety and the NFL’s comeback player of the year Eric Berry was given the non-exclusive franchise tag.
I'm told the #Chiefs plan to tag safety Eric Berry. Both sides interested in working toward a long-term deal.
— Rand Getlin (@RandGetlin) March 1, 2016
What this means is that the Chiefs and Berry will have a few days to try and negotiate a long-term contract. If the two sides fail to agree to terms, other franchises will be allowed to offer Berry contracts as soon as free agency begins. If Berry and another team reach an agreement then Kansas City will have a chance to match the proposed contract, and Berry remains with the Chiefs.
If Kansas City declines to match a contract offer that Eric Berry is offered by another team, then the Kansas City Chiefs will receive two first-round picks from the team that signed Berry. Additionally, if the Chiefs and their safety cannot come to terms by July 15 then he will be paid $10.8 million for this upcoming season.
Berry is a four-time Pro Bowl safety. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award in 2015 after missing the last five games of the 2014 season with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.