Dallas Cowboys: Scouting Safety Eric Berry

The Dallas Cowboys defense needs two coverage-savvy safeties for their defense. Could Eric Berry be a good fit?

Eric Berry, 27, is arguably the best free safety in the game. After bouncing back from Hodgkin lymphoma Berry turned in a fantastic season in 2015. Most surprisingly, Barry, the former fifth overall pick in the 2010 draft, came back in 2015 to play all 16 Games.

Manning centerfield, Berry pulled in 2 interceptions and collected 61 tackles. With an 88 overall rating from Pro Football Focus, Berry ranked fifth amongst his peers in 2015, only ranking behind Harrison Smith, Malcom Jenkins, Earl Thomas, and Morgan Burnett. Berry brings with him strong run defense as well as instinctive coverage. He makes quick breaks on the ball and covers a tremendous amount of field left.

The Dallas Cowboys defense requires two safeties with strong coverage ability in order for it to work properly. For a quick look at the Cowboys’ primary coverage scheme, check out:

Related Story: Understanding the Coverage: Single High Safety

In a nutshell, the Cowboys operate primarily out of a single high safety coverage scheme. Sometimes it acts as a Cover 1 (one lone safety over the top) and sometimes it’s more of a Cover 3 (with both cornerbacks holding their respective deep zone responsibilities) and the “high safety” playing center.

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Regardless of which it is, the Cowboys’ scheme relies on strong individual play from both safety positions. The Dallas Cowboys seemingly struck gold when they found rookie Byron Jones last draft. In 2015, Jones played both safety spots plus cornerback. For the Cowboys (and really much of the NFL nowadays), a coverage safety is one of the hardest things to find. That’s why the Cowboys seem hell-bent on making Jones a safety rather than a CB.

With Jones manning one safety spot, the Cowboys still need another option to pair with him. J.J. Wilcox and Barry Church do not appear to be the long-term answer as both showed major deficiencies last season. To summarize their 2015 performances, Church was strong in run support but a liability in coverage and Wilcox was mediocre in coverage but an absolute disaster against the run. That’s where Eric Berry comes in…

The Chiefs play a 3-4 defense but their coverage schemes greatly resemble the Cowboys single high safety schemes. Berry has versatility that would easily allow him to play up on a TE (which he did at times in KC) and back as the lone centerfielder (his primary spot).

In 2015, the Cowboys predominantly played J.J. Wilcox (and then Byron Jones) as that centerfielding safety. Neither Cowboy is remotely as good as Eric Berry is at open field tackling, and as mentioned earlier, Wilcox was absolutely atrocious in run support.

Ideally, Berry would slide right in as Wilcox’s replacement and play centerfield while Byron Jones plays closer to the line of scrimmage and covers the TEs. But with Berry’s versatility, the Cowboys could really play him in either spot as they feel out what best suits Byron Jones.

At just 27, Berry’s in the prime of his career and appears to have put his cancer situation in his rearview mirror. Unfortunately, it’s going to take almost all of Fort Knox to pry him away from the Kansas City Chiefs.

"“Obviously, this is a family,” Berry said of his relationship with the Chiefs. “At the same time, we will sit down and talk about it when we talk about it, but right now I’m just thankful for my teammates, my coaches, and everybody that has something to do with me being back on the filed this year. This is something special. Like I said, we’ll talk about it.”"

Berry and the Chiefs organization forged a strong bond in the wake of his illness. Both sides appear extremely loyal and both sides appear willing to compromise. But no deal has been made and that means he has the potential to hit the market and listen to outside offers exists.

Earl Thomas recently set the FS market with his 4 year/$40M deal, and Eric Berry is expected to get all that and potentially more this offseason. The odds aren’t great for the Dallas Cowboys but the scheme is a great fit and we should never underestimate the likeability of Rod Marinelli.

Next: Could This Free Agent, Upgrade the Cowboys' Secondary?

If the Chiefs allow Berry to hit the market this March, the Cowboys need to pounce because Berry is one of the best safeties in the league and the Cowboys are in the market for an upgrade.

There are two truths to Eric Berry and the Dallas Cowboys. #1: He’d be a great fit and a significant upgrade. #2: It’s a longshot he’ll even hit the market.