Keeping Bowe
By Stephen Brown
If the Chiefs were a ship they’d be unsinkable because nothing leaks from One Arrowhead Drive. It’s a mystery; will Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Carr stay, just one…or neither?
With Bowe fans already know what can happen between him and Matt Cassel, Bowe finished 2010 with 15 receiving touchdowns, so unlike Santonio Holmes Bowe fits Kansas City.
Chargers Vincent Jackson tops the 2012 free agent receiver list, but Bowe’s top three. Steelers Mike Wallace is set to be a free agent, but Pittsburgh freed up cap space (over $18 million) to ink Wallace long-term.
Others include veteran Reggie Wayne, Buffalo’s Steve Johnson, and Eagles DeSean Jackson.
Marques Colston should remain a Saint. Giants Mario Manningham – the guy the Patriots didn’t fear – is 25 with upside. It’ll be tough for the Giants to keep Manningham. Manningham’s caught behind Victor Cruz and Hakeem Hicks, the Giants won’t pay Manningham more than number three money.
Manningham has potential, but here’s the question, do the Chiefs really want to start over?
A price tag of $45 million might seem like a lot, but either the Jets overpaid Holmes or Holmes was that good.
Looking at what Holmes did prior to the Jets in Pittsburgh, you could say Bowe’s numbers are better with potential to be great with a consistent quarterback.
Bowe’s a top free-agent and the Chiefs have the opportunity to sign him. They don’t have to hunt, borrow, or beg. The shopping part is easy; Bowe’s waiting to be re-signed.
Bowe has flaws, but several teams would pay him right now, so why not Kansas City?
I feel the Jets overreached for Holmes, but there’s a lot of money nowadays in the NFL. Chief’s owner Clark Hunt said the reason to carry the cap space was for this situation – to re-sign players they’ve drafted and developed. Bowe is that.
Is Bowe worth $8 – 10 million a year? With what the Chiefs have on the roster, the time frame they have to win in, and who’s available via free agency – Bowe’s a no-brainer.
Two of the bigger free agents in 2012 – Bowe and Carr – are waiting for their team to make a move. Again, another team most definitely will, but that’d be a shame.
If that materializes and Kansas City doesn’t lift a finger to re-sign both then Scott Pioli better be the rightist general manager on the planet. Pioli said 2012 was about spending, so if management let’s Bowe and Carr leave without a fight then Pioli better duck and hide.
Action is what fans need, better players, and results. Not trying to keep Bowe and Carr would be a blunder. If Bowe or Carr is being insane – asking price would have to be ridiculous – then Pioli did all that he could do.
All fans want is for Pioli to make an honest attempt at making the Chiefs a winner. If Pioli tries, but neither Bowe nor Carr is fair in what they want compared to other money Pioli has to spend to help the Chiefs then I can live with it.
The silence thing isn’t working, but if Pioli communicates to the fan what he tried to do then I think most would respect that. But both Bowe and Carr would have to ask for the world for me not to try and sign them.
Good day, Chief fans!
DWAYNE BOWE
Most expect the franchise tag, but Scott Pioli hasn’t hinted which. Bowe said he’d like to continue in Kansas City, but at the right price. Reportedly Bowe wants a deal that’s similar to Jets Santonio Holmes.
Holmes signed a $45-million deal in 2010 with New York. In Holmes six-year career he has one 1,000-yard season. In Bowe’s five years he’s had three 1,000-yard seasons missing a fourth by five yards (995 yards ’07) his rookie season.
Holmes, who’s guaranteed $15.2 5 million over the next two seasons, has problems with his quarterback Mark Sanchez. It’s a situation the Jets are stuck with.
Bowe in 2010 had a streak of 7 straight games with a score, thus breaking the Kansas City Chiefs franchise record of 6 straight games with a touchdown. Bowe also broke the Chiefs' franchise record for most touchdowns in a single season 15. Bowe went to the 2011 Pro Bowl.
