Updated: Beaufort's Ron Parker officially signs with Kansas City Chiefs
Ron Parker once said he never feels like he can get comfortable in his business.
But his time in Kansas City is as close as he's come in four seasons as an NFL football player. Throughout his process as an unrestricted free agent this past week, he hoped the Chiefs would come through.
They did, and Parker made it official this morning, signing a five-year deal.
The news was posted to the Chiefs' Twitter account with a photo of Parker, pen in hand.
#Chiefs sign DB Ron Parker READ: http://t.co/CdfRog5T0t pic.twitter.com/ddQRmRW0MD
— Kansas City Chiefs (@KCChiefs) March 16, 2015
Parker, a former Beaufort High School standout, signed the five-year deal worth $25 million in base salary. He has $8 million guaranteed, including a $5 million signing bonus and first two years' base salary. The contract also includes $5 million worth of incentives tied to playoff appearances and interceptions.
"I'm still dreaming. It hasn't hit me yet," Parker told Chiefs reporters on a conference call Monday, according to chiefsdigest.com. "It's a dream come true."
Parker started 15 games -- 11 at safety and four at cornerback -- for the Chiefs in 2014. He finished the season with 94 tackles, a sack, a forced fumble and an interception.
Perhaps his best performance was shutting down Buffalo Bills rookie Sammy Watkins during a November victory. Parker deflected three passes, forced a fumble and finished with a team-high eight tackles.
He announced Saturday his intention to re-sign with the Chiefs, who claimed him off waivers in 2013 and gave him a two-year deal.
“I am happy we were able to work out a deal with Ron and his agent to keep him in Kansas City,” Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said on kcchiefs.com. “He is a versatile player with a great attitude that’s made a positive impact on both defense and special teams. Right from the beginning of this process, we wanted Ron back in a Chiefs uniform.”
Parker told The Beaufort Gazette this past Saturday his offers also included Atlanta, Baltimore and Chicago.
He flew to Chicago on Wednesday and met with Bears coach John Fox and general manager Ryan Pace. Parker told Chiefs reporters on Monday that Atlanta made the hardest push of the other contenders.
On Saturday morning, Parker heard from his agent that the Chiefs were stepping up their offer.
The deal is the largest contract signed by an undrafted safety, agent Justin Turner said. The move maintains some stability for Parker, who signed with Seattle in 2011 as an undrafted free agent and spent time with the Panthers and Raiders.
"I feel like that’s home for me now," Parker told The Beaufort Gazette on Saturday . "I know the system and know what’s going on, so all I’ve got to do is just improve and work on the stuff I need to work on and not try to learn a new defense and go somewhere and start over again, I can just keep going from here."
Follow assistant sports editor Stephen Fastenau at twitter.com/IPBG_Stephen.
This story was originally published March 16, 2015 at 11:41 AM with the headline "Updated: Beaufort's Ron Parker officially signs with Kansas City Chiefs."