Salary Cap Digest: Breaking Down Kansas City Chiefs Biggest Cap Hits

Nov 24, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers (17) is sacked by Kansas City Chiefs strong safety Eric Berry (29) during the second half of the game at Arrowhead Stadium. The Chargers won 41-38. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

ERIC BERRY

2014 Cap Hit: $11,619,700
Potential Savings If Cut/Traded: $5, 814,300
Remaining Contract: Two years, $19,977,400

Berry’s rookie contract came under the old collective bargaining agreement, which is why his salary and cap numbers are closer to Mars than reality. Kansas City had the same issue with Tyson Jackson last season before they restructured his contract to open up nearly $10 million in cap room.

Unlike Jackson, Berry is actually a good player, so the chances he’d be willing to take a pay-cut is incredibly small. What Berry may be open to, however, is an extension. He has only two years remaining on his deal and it would make sense for the Chiefs to want to keep their 25-year-old All-Pro safety beyond 2015.

Berry would be worth the extension, too. Finding good safeties is incredibly hard to do, especially in the pass-happy NFL. Berry’s +14.5 grade this season was the third best amongst all safeties, as was his 12.5 coverage grade. The best secondary Kansas City can put on the field includes Berry.

This doesn’t mean he doesn’t have his issues. Covering tight ends who can stretch the field causes a mismatch Berry has had trouble overcoming. He’s also already missed one full season with an ACL tear. But Kansas City can do somethings around Berry to fix the coverage problems he’s had against larger receivers and he’s been healthy each of the last two seasons. He’s worth a big money extension.

Still, $11.6 million is a massive number to have wrapped up in a safety. What Kansas City may choose to do is discuss an extension with Berry that restructures the final two years of his deal by deferring money beyond 2014.

Berry’s current contract calls for him to take a near $3.3 million pay-cut in 2015. Kansas City could take some of the money Berry is owed in 2014 and defer it to 2015 and into an extension beyond 2015 to help level things out for him. This would give the Chiefs some breathing room with the cap as well as give Berry some sanity to his salary structure.

Getting Berry’s number down under $10 million would be ideal. It wouldn’t be unreasonable to think he could be convinced to be more flexible restructuring 2014 if it meant the Chiefs would give him more guaranteed money in a contract extension. There should be a lot of motivation on both sides to get a deal done, so don’t be surprised if this happens.