Why the Chiefs should avoid the franchise tag with Eric Berry this time

It should also be noted that Berry’s said he won’t play on the tag again in 2017. Should the team force his hand, he could sit out ten games and still get credit for an NFL season. Using the tag poses significant risk to the health of the locker room at One Arrowhead Drive. It’s certain to aggravate an already volatile situation with Berry. That could easily set a bad example for young players who’ll have floor seats to a tense negotiation process between the two sides. That’s quite the gamble for a young team entering it’s viability window.

The biggest mistake Dorsey can make is to is to believe time is on his side. Tagging Berry protects him from other teams and gives the Chiefs additional time to consummate a deal. July 15, the deadline for teams to reach a multi-year deal with tagged players, would become the next flash point along the offseason trajectory.