Chiefs expected to franchise tag Eric Berry: Jaguars miss out in free agency

The Jacksonville Jaguars were in need of a replacement in their defensive backfield for Johnathan Cyprien who will likely be signed by another team in free agency. Eric Berry wanted a long-term deal somewhere. The Kansas City Chiefs didn’t want to lock Berry up long-term. It seemed like the stars were aligning.

But not if the Chiefs use the franchise tag on Berry by the March 1 deadline.

According to ProFootballTalk.com, Berry doesn’t expect a long-term deal to come to fruition and the Chiefs will likely use it on the safety.

That leaves Pro Bowl defensive tackle Dontari Poe out in the open market, which is a strange move. Poe is far and away the more impactful player for that Chiefs defense. That team is worse for keeping Berry and letting Poe go than the other way around.

And, no, Poe isn’t a realistic free agent target for the Jaguars. With Malik Jackson signing a high-priced deal last year and the team likely going after Jason Pierre-Paul this year, you just can’t have that many blockbuster free agency deals concentrated in the same position group. He’s going to the Broncos. Book it.