2017 NFL Free Agency: Eric Berry Contract Projection

Eric Berry | 2017 NFL Free Agent | Kansas City Chiefs | NFL Contract Projection

*Posted February 23 on Instagram Feed*

UPDATE: Kansas City Chiefs signed Eric Berry to a six-year, $78-million contract ($13M average) with $40 million guaranteed and $28 million fully guaranteed.

HT: 6-0 WT: 212 Age: 28 Seasons: 7
Status: Unrestricted Free Agent

Kansas City Cap Space (Top 51): $4.24M
Berry Franchise Tag: $12.967M (Joel Corry)

Eric Berry Scouting Report

Positives
Lines up all over the field. Has range to play in deep in Cover 1 and the physicality to line up in the box and stuff the run. Great at every aspect of the position. Amazing play speed. Physical tackler. Can play man coverage on TEs and in the slot. A team leader. Has shown he the same dominant force he was before cancer. An inspiration.

Negatives
Would be the oldest of the player comparables. Missed 15 games in 2011 with a torn ACL and 10 games in 2014 fighting cancer.

Eric Berry Statistics

• Best season: 77 TCK, 9 PD, FF, 4 INT, 2 TDs, 2 PT (2016)
• 2-year average before deal (AVG): 69 TCK, 9.5 PD, 0.5 FF, TD

Eric Berry Player Comparables

Tyrann Mathieu, Arizona Cardinals

• Contract: 5 year, $62.5M; $12.5M average (AVG), $40M Guaranteed (GTD), $21.25M Fully Guaranteed (FG) (2016)
• 2-year AVG: 63.5 TCK, 0.5 sack, 10.5 PD, 0.5 FF, 3 INT, 0.5 TD
• 2017 salary cap adjustment (CAP): 5 year, $67.6M; 13.5M AVG, $43.3M GTD, $23M FG

Harrison Smith, Minnesota Vikings

• Contract: 5 year, $51.25M; $10.25M AVG, $28.6M GTD, $15.3M FG (2016)
• 2-year AVG: 79 TCK, 2.25 SCK, 6 PD, FF, TD
• 2017 CAP: 5 year, $55.5M; $11.1M AVG, $30.9M GTD, $16.6M FG

Earl Thomas, Seattle Seahawks

• Contract: 4 year, $40M; $10M AVG, $25.7M FG (2014)
  2-year AVG: 85.5 TCK, 9 PD, 1.5 FF, 4 INT, 0.5 TD
• 2017 CAP: 4 year, $50.52M; $12.63M AVG, $32.7M FG

Eric Berry Leverage

Mathieu, Smith and Thomas could have been franchised but were not. Kansas City may have the leverage to lock Berry up for the 2017 season but not beyond that. Tagging Berry a third time would cost the amount of the QB franchise tag salary.

Best Alternative to Long-Term Agreement

Chiefs – Use the franchise tag on Berry.
Eric Berry – Sign the tag or sit out the team’s first ten games before signing. Test open market in 2018.

Eric Berry Reservation Price

Hard to see Berry and his team taking less than setting the market for safeties (cap adj. $13.5M). He’s proved how great and valuable he is playing the 2016 season under the franchise tag.

Projection: 5 years, $67.5M; $13.5M AVG, $28.75M FG

Eric Berry Contract Structure

Signing Bonus – $16M
2017 – $1.25M base
2018 – $9.5M base
2019 – $11.5M base
2020 – $13M base
2021 – $15M base
*Annual $250K workout bonuses

*Contract information from Over The Cap, Spotrac, Pro Football Talk, and/or other sources.
*Statistics from NFL.com
*Photo Edit from @ACEGFXS