Eric Berry won’t win the MVP but I do believe he did enough to be in the conversation. It’s fitting with the Super Bowl teams set that his signature moment this season came in Atlanta where he almost single-handedly beat this year’s NFC champs. Big time players make big time plays in big time situations, somebody said (or a dozen people claim to have said).
Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton summed up Berry’s impact pretty well when speaking to Conor Orr of NFL.com from the Pro Bowl this week.
"I thought he had an MVP-type season,” Sutton said of Berry. “He was a dynamic force. Physically, taking the ball away. his coverage. I don't know how much more you could do. This guy had an impact on our entire team. Not just our defense, but our entire team. That's a trait that is hard to put a value on. You can't quantify it but you know it's there."
Part of the reason I say I can’t imagine Berry playing elsewhere is because of statements like this. How often does a player who is talked about like this by one of his coaches end up leaving in his prime? It’s a hell of an endorsement. Berry doesn’t need any endorsements though. He answered just about every question this year. The only reason you’d be hesitant about signing him is because it’s a ton of money. Everyone agrees that he brings a ton to the table and any team would be lucky to have him.