On Friday, the Kansas City Chiefs vets report to camp. Eric Berry won’t be among them.
After failing to come to terms on a contract for safety Eric Berry, the Chiefs ran the risk that their All-Pro safety would skip training camp. Apparently, that is going to happen.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Berry does not plan to come to camp and join his teammates for their first practice on Saturday afternoon. This can’t come as a shock, since Berry has not signed his franchise tag and thus can’t be fined.
Sources: #KCChiefs S Eric Berry is not planning to report with his teammates for training camp. He hasn’t signed his tag, so no fines
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 26, 2016
Berry, 27, does not lose a dime because his $10.8 million salary doesn’t kick in until Week 1. It seems like an easy decision, considering he can now work out at home and spend a few more weeks getting his body right before cracking pads.
Some will scream and yell about him being selfish, but think about it this way: the heat in Missouri is brutal and each practice runs anywhere from 2-3 hours. Berry has shown he is in peak phyiscal condition and always has been. He doesn’t need to get in shape.
If you are Berry, are you going to willingly practice in 100-degree heat with 98 percent humidity, when you can show up in the third week of the preseason? Nope.