Eric Berry: Hometown discount?

Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry has yet to sign his franchise tag, will the pro-bowler give the team a hometown discount?

The Kansas City Chiefs find themselves in quite the dilemma when it comes to safety Eric Berry. While there is very little doubt a deal could feasibly get done before the July 15th deadline, the big question is what will it cost the Chiefs.

With the bigger signings of free agents this off-season like Harrison Smith with the Minnesota Vikings, the price tag to retain Berry might be a steep one. However, one thing that is usually spoken by players when it is time for their contracts to be renewed is the phrase “hometown discount”. Basically this is a player’s way of saying there might be a little wiggle room in the details that would allow them to sign the player, but keep the cost low for the team overall.

So now the big question remains will this be the case with Berry? While we would like to think that since he has spent his entire NFL career with the team, who stood by him when he was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma two years ago, this might not be the case. Now, this is in no way saying that Eric is a greedy player, but take a look at the average career of an NFL player.

According to staista.com the average NFL player’s career, with a probowl selection is around 11 years, Berry is in his seventh year, so in reality he may only have 4 or five more years. So getting the most dollar for this playing time would be the number one priority. People tend to think if NFL players as greedy overpaid babies, who will sit out of any season on the demand for more money, but that is not the truth, as least in most cases.

Eric Berry has shown time and again that he is the heart of the Chiefs secondary and as such he deserves a big contract, to keep him with KC. Whether he gives the team a “hometown discount” remains to be seen. The details of the contract are up for debate, but it should be a little higher than the 5 year 51 million dollar deal Smith signed with the Vikings. How much more he will get leaves room for debate but he is worth every penny, and should receive top dollar for the caliber player he is.

What do you think, Addicts? Is there room for the hometown discount from Eric Berry or will it be the top dollar contract we all expect.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks for reading.

GO CHIEFS!