Why Is Former Chiefs All-Pro Safety Eric Berry Still Available On NFL Free-Agent Market?

In mid-March, the Kansas City Chiefs released one of the best defensive players in franchise history in five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro safety Eric Berry. Why would the Chiefs dump such a talented player when their defense was terrible last season and largely the reason why K.C. lost to the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game?

Two reasons: Money and injuries.

The 30-year-old Berry, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2010 draft, missed all of 2011, played six games in 2014 (due to a lymphoma diagnosis), just one in 2017 due to a ruptured Achilles tendon, and then two regular-season games last year because of a nagging heel injury. Berry missed the divisional round win over the Colts in January but did play in the AFC title game, finishing with six tackles.

The Chiefs gained around $10 million in cap space with the move by designating Berry's release as a post-June 1 cut. That designation meant Kansas City avoided any dead money on Berry's contract to affect this year's salary cap. Berry also was expendable with Kansas City adding safety Tyrann Mathieu in free agency.

Still, if healthy (and that heel injury didn't need surgery), Berry is still a difference-maker so why hasn't any team signed him yet? The Dallas Cowboys had been mentioned prominently, but a media report this week said the team wasn't going interested. The San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Oakland Raiders, Indianapolis Colts, Cleveland Browns, Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles also have been tied to him.

It could be that Berry will have to sit and wait for a team to become desperate at safety due to injury, suspension, etc. Berry also could be rather choosy at this point in his career and want to go to a contender because he has never played in a Super Bowl. For what it's worth, former Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton is now a senior assistant with the Atlanta Falcons so that could be a fit considering he knows Berry as well as anyone. Berry is also from the Atlanta area.