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This rumor didn't start with Eric Galko of Optimum Scouting, but it's out there now thanks to him, and I'm fielding a lot of questions about Eric Berry coming to the Atlanta Falcons in exchange for a second round pick.
You'll recall this being floated as a possibility back in March, when the Falcons were at the tail end of their free agent signings. The price was said to possibly be a second round pick at that time, as well, so it's intriguing to see this one rise from the dead. Would the Falcons do it?
Why this makes sense
The Falcons have a glaring need at safety. The Chiefs haven't actually said they're putting Eric Berry on the block, to my knowledge, but a lot of reporters in that area think they should or already have. A second round pick might be used on a safety anyways, and by dealing #37, the Falcons walk away with an established, 25-year-old stud safety who would give them a truly formidable secondary.
Regardless of what the Falcons do in the first round, they've reportedly been adamant about not trading away that second round pick. That makes sense in a deep draft, but it also makes a lot of sense if you think you can use it to acquire Berry.
Why this doesn't make sense
Price, chiefly. The second round pick in exchange for Berry seems more than fair, but Berry's currently scheduled to cost over $8 million against the cap in 2014. The Falcons could possibly squeak that in with their current space and use their post-June 1 Thomas DeCoud money on the rookie class, but that would leave them with none of the breathing room Thomas Dimitroff enjoys operating with.
There's also the small matter that the Chiefs may not be acquiring a player of Berry's caliber with the #37 pick, leading one to question their motivation for this kind of deal. I'm not convinced that Kansas City is A) looking to do a deal for Berry and B) looking for just a 2nd.
Likelihood: 4/10
This seems entirely too good to be true to me. The interest from the Falcons would seem to fit, but the dollars on Berry's contract are an obstacle and KC's willingness to deal him is something I'd need to be convinced of. I would love to see this happen and find myself rooting for it, but I can't view it as likely.
Your thoughts?