Future murky in for Eric Berry, Eric Fisher and Dontari Poe
By John McCarty
Dontari Poe may be the easiest decision to make. An unrestricted free agent after this season, Poe’s price tag is likely to be very similar to the deal Malik Jackson signed this offseason (five years, $85.5 million with $42 million in guarantees), or the contract Gerald McCoy signed a couple years ago (six years, $95 million with $51 million in guarantees.).
While Poe is a solid player, I have a hard time imagining the Chiefs really investing close to 17 million a season after spending decent money on Jaye Howard, with Allen Bailey under contract as well as young and cheap players like Nick Williams and Rakeem Nunez-Roches. Also, the 2016 draft is very deep with talented defensive tackles. If form holds, I would be mildly surprised if a defensive tackle isn’t chosen in either first or second round to help replace Poe.
Eric Berry is the wild card of the situation. Currently, he is tagged at over $10 million as the Chiefs’ franchise player at safety. He is asking for a contract with a yearly payout in the ballpark of #10 -11 million a season. He’s a fan favorite and a leader in the locker room. He’s also not worth anywhere close to the money he’s asking for.
Next: Prohibitive cost?