The Lions should take a flier on veteran free agent safety Eric Berry

The Detroit Lions should consider bringing in safety Eric Berry.  It’s a move that could benefit both parties involved; player and organization.

The Detroit Lions secondary, well, the defense in general, have stunk all season long.  Eric Berry certainly wouldn’t fix all of their woes, but he could bring some moral support to a group lacking confidence.  Having a chance to prove he can still play in the league could be enticing for the veteran safety.

Eric Berry has had plenty to overcome throughout his career and life in general.  Berry has only played in three total games over the last two seasons combined.  He was released by the K.C Chiefs to my surprise and has yet to find work since.  He’s a player the Detroit Lions should consider bringing in for multiple reasons.

He was let go after not being able to contribute to a Kansas City defense that’s essentially a ship that’s been taking on water for quite some time.  Berry is a player I’d think head coach Andy Reid would prefer to have around even if it was in a very limited role.  That being said, it isn’t beyond the realm of possibility that Berry simply has nothing left in the tank.  If that were the case, no one would be able to blame him. The soon to be 31-year old has had much to conquer.

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Many professional athletes have plenty to overcome throughout their careers, whether it’s injuries,  performance, being traded.  Eric Berry had his fair share of that plus the man had to fight for his life.

Berry’s 2014 NFL season was cut short after he found a lump on his chest.  He was in for the fight of his life.  A player that usually spent time as a ball-hawking safety who could also come up and play the run with the best of them was forced to beat cancer.  He didn’t just beat it; he kicked cancer’s ass.  He would return to the football field the following year playing in all of the teams’ 16 regular-season games.  It would eventually earn him the award of NFL comeback player of the year – well deserved.

So why should the Detroit Lions entertain bringing in Eric Berry now?

The Lions have been very deep at the safety position even after they decided to trade Quandre Diggs to the Seattle Seahawks for basically a jugs machine.  The Lions two future starters are second-year player Tracy Walker who looks to be a terrific talent.  The problem is, since the Diggs trade Walker has been battling the injury bug.  He’s currently nursing a knee injury.

The Lions drafted Will Harris in the third round of this past NFL draft.  I expect Harris to be an excellent player in the future, but he doesn’t appear to be there quite yet.  He’s shown flashes of brilliance, but with that has come some growing pains.  The team has relied on veteran Tavon Wilson to fill the void, but he’s better served as a backup and special teamer.

The Lions are out of playoff contention, so it would be a cheap move that would create a few headlines.  For Detroit, they have nothing to lose.  Bringing in Eric Berry would help him prove to other teams he can still play in this league.  He’d be able to showcase for organizations seeking a veteran safety this Spring.

Signing Berry would play well in the Lions locker room, which seemed to be a bit rocky after the organization traded a team captain in Diggs.

In 89 career games, Berry has recorded 448 total tackles, 14 interceptions, 5 touchdowns, 5.5 sacks and forced 4 fumbles.  Eric has been voted to five pro-bowls throughout his career.