Eric Berry Says He Will Not Play for Chiefs on Franchise Tag in 2017

As one of the best free agents available this offseason, Kansas City Chiefs safety Eric Berry appeared to flex his bargaining leverage to close the door on a possible avenue for his next deal.

In an interview Thursday on NFL Network's Super Bowl Live, Berry said he has no intention of playing for a second season under the franchise tag.

"I'm definitely not going to play under the franchise tag this year," he said. "I want to end my career in Kansas City. I want to play there. I love the city, I love the vibe, I love my teammates. I really look at them more than teammates. We've been through a lot, and they supported me a lot. And the organization. But I don't feel comfortable playing under the franchise tag this year."

Berry went a step further in an interview with the Kansas City Star's Terez A. Paylor and said he'd be prepared to sit out the 2017 season if the Chiefs use the franchise tag on him.

Berry signed the tag last August, and his $10.806 million base salary was the highest among safeties, per Spotrac. The MMQB's Albert Breer estimated in December that the 2017 franchise tag for a safety would equal $11 million.

Given Berry's age, 28, it's understandable he'd be looking for a long-term deal rather than a one-year payout. His value will never be higher than it is now, so this is the time to cash in.

While Berry may have laid down an ultimatum to the Chiefs, the possibility of his missing games due to a holdout remains a long way off.

Kansas City had a similar situation in 2015 with Justin Houston. The team put the franchise tag on him in March, and the two parties waited until the last minute to agree to a six-year extension.

Last offseason, Denver Broncos linebacker Von Miller took a similar stance regarding the franchise tag. Then he signed a six-year, $114.5 million deal with the team.

It's in Berry and the Chiefs' best interests to hammer out the details on a multiyear contract, and they have plenty of time to do so in the coming months.