The Chiefs and receiver Dwayne Bowe have been discussing a long-term deal. For now, we’re told there’s no news.
There will be news soon. Absent a long-term deal by Monday, March 4, the Chiefs either will — or won’t — apply the franchise tag to Bowe. Because he was tagged in 2012 at a tender of $9.6 million, he’d be entitled to a 20-percent raise. That’s $11.4 million for one more season.
And since a third straight tag would entitle Bowe to the quarterback tender in 2014, failure to sign Bowe to a long-term deal by July 15 means that he’ll undoubtedly hit the open market in 2014.
On Wednesday, former Chiefs G.M. Scott Pioli said on SiriusXM NFL Radio that he would have tagged Bowe again — in part because Bowe wants too much on a multi-year contract.
“Dwayne is a good, productive player at a position of need,” Pioli said. “He’s the best receiver on the Chiefs. He’s one of the better receivers in the NFL. . . . I don’t believe he’s as good as maybe his agent thinks – and when I say that I don’t say that disrespectfully – I just mean there was a difference in opinion. I think he’s a top receiver that would deserve to be compensated in the top ten range, not the top five.”
Since they have plenty of cap space, the Chiefs could tag Bowe and keep working toward a long-term contract.