Chiefs GM: Berry contract talks will be slow process

Discussions for a potential contract extension with Eric Berry may come right down to the July 15 deadline.

Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey preached patience Tuesday regarding negotiations for a long-term deal to replace the franchise tag.

"This is going to be a slow process with Eric," Dorsey said on SiriusXM NFL Radio, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. "It's gonna be kinda like Justin (Houston) last year."

Houston was hit with the franchise tag heading into the 2015 offseason. After weeks of negotiations, the star pass-rusher was rewarded with a six-year, $101-million contract at the deadline.

Berry, coming off a season in which he re-established himself as one of the NFL's premier safeties after beating cancer, is in line for a substantial payday of his own.

Any long-term deal would presumably come with an annual salary either approaching or exceeding that of Earl Thomas, who is currently the league's highest-paid safety at $10 million per season.