Was franchise tagging Eric Berry a good idea?

Eric Berry is an absolute hero to any Kansas City Chiefs fan. The very fact that he even managed to make the field this last season was a miracle in and of itself. To then make the field and play at such a high level is a testament to his dedication and hard work throughout his chemotherapy and recovery. Since then, Berry has gone on to endear himself to Kansas City’s fans this last year and is now one of the most popular players on the roster.

However, with his contract set to run out, as well as plenty of other big name players such as Sean Smith and Jaye Howard, some had been suggesting that the Chiefs might be better served letting Berry walk in favor of investing the money elsewhere. Kansas City are deep at safety. With the criminally underrated Ron Parker locked down for the next few seasons at least, and the possibility of bringing back Tyvon Branch and Husain Abdullah, Kansas City have one of the best safety groups in the league.

This has led to some to argue that Berry’s big upcoming pay packet may not be the best use of money by John Dorsey. Dorsey, though, clearly does not agree, by placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on Berry. This means that another team could make him an offer. However, the Chiefs have the opportunity to match that offer, and if they choose not to, then two first round picks will be received as compensation.

It is unlikely that a team is willing to give up two first rounders for Berry, so it is fairly safe to assume that Berry will be with the team for at least one more season. It is also likely that the Chiefs will try to sign Berry to a long term like they did with Justin Houston. Dorsey, per KCChiefs.com, has stated of his desire to keep Berry with the organization for a long time:

"“Our goal is to keep Eric in Kansas City for the foreseeable future. He’s a special player that means a lot to our organization, the city, and has been a critical piece in building our foundation. With today being the deadline to use the franchise tag, we felt it was in the best interest of the club to place the tag on Eric.”"

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