After failing to reach a long-term deal with the Kansas City Chiefs, Eric Berry is planning to skip the start of training camp, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.
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 had previously expressed some surprise that the Chiefs hadn’t worked more towards a long-term contract as the July 15 deadline approached. It was later discovered that Kansas City had asked him to purchase a disability policy that included some significant sums (details here).
The franchise eventually pulled that desire off the table, but nobody would fault Berry for feeling upset that it was ever on the table to begin with. The team was looking for insurance against a big deal with guaranteed cash for a player who recently overcame Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Berry still can sign the franchise tag, which is worth $10.8 million for the 2016 season. If he did, he’d be making more money this year than any other safety in the NFL. But at this point, he’s looking for more security, and it appears he’s willing to hold out to achieve that goal.
After missing 10 games due to his illness in 2014, Berry was triumphant in his return last year, earning Pro Bowl honors and First-Team All-Pro honors by the Pro Football Writers of America.