Mar 13, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs general manager John Dorsey (right), quarterback Alex Smith (center), and head coach Andy Reid pose for photos during the press conference at The University of Kansas Hospital Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Dwayne Bowe went on the radio to talk about the new look Kansas City Chiefs and express the optimism many are feeling regarding the new direction of this franchise.

The only franchise in the NFL that had more trouble at quarterback than the Chiefs were possibly the Arizona Cardinals. So it comes as no surprise that Dwayne Bowe was ecstatic when he saw the Chiefs get Alex Smith, a quarterback who led a team to the NFC Championship game.

“When they made the move I was ecstatic,” Bowe said on WHB in Kansas City, via Sports Radio Interviews. “I was like, ‘Wow, great move.’ I hadn’t met him yet but from hearing [guys] in San Francisco he’s a real cool guy, a leader. That was a great move. … I’m excited to work with Alex.”

But having a solid quarterback throwing him the ball wasn’t the only reason he decided to stay with the Chiefs instead of testing free agency.

“It’s all about loyalty. … I’ve been there since ’07 and it’s been some great years and good people rolling in and out of that building.”

But with Alex Smith, and a very talented running back in Jamaal Charles, adding wide receiver Donnie Avery and tight end Anthony Fasano, this offense could be explosive.

“It’s going to be special, it’s going to be great. Andy knows what he’s doing, he’s a powerhouse when it comes to putting an offense together,” Bowe said. “Grabbing [Donnie] Avery was a real, real plus. Him and one side and then [Jonathan] Baldwin, and then me. I just can’t wait to see it all together. It’s like a puzzle, he’s a big jigsaw puzzle, man. He’s putting all the puzzle pieces together, and I can’t wait till all the pieces connect and we start working out and training. It’s going to be exciting. It’s going to definitely be a turnaround from last year.”

Jan 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson (23) reacts during the second quarter of the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

When Andy Reid was hired by the Kansas City Chiefs, many had felt this was a team that needed to be completely changed from top to bottom. The first major move the Chiefs made hinted at such a suggestion, when they landed QB Alex Smith in a trade.  Now, normally when a new QB comes in that costed as much as the trade suggested , then it is expected to be a move made for the long term. However, soon thereafter the Chiefs decided to surprise people by tagging Pro Bowl OT Brandon Albert and re-signing WR Dwayne Bowe to a 5-year deal, instead of letting one if not both players go in free agency, as many people felt around the league. And now, the Chiefs have just came to an agreement with former Pro Bowl CB Dunta Robinson on a 3 year deal, who was coming off from another season with the Atlanta Falcons. It’s also worth mentioning that they signed Punter Dustin Colquitt to a rather hefty deal, so change has come in a rather big way for the Chiefs, but not the same type of change many have expected to see thus far.

What these moves indicate, is the Chiefs have a strong desire to compete immediately in the AFC West, as they are keeping the existing talent they’ve already had before making Andy Reid their Head Coach, while bringing in more talent to aid and compliment those players. After all, this was a team that featured more Pro-Bowlers (5) than overall wins (2). As of right now, it is unknown what the Chiefs will do with their 1st overall pick, as talk has ranged from continuing their interest in drafting a premier OT with their 1st pick to pair with Brandon Albert, to even trading down and picking up more picks in the upcoming draft. Anyway, they upgraded their offense considerably when they landed QB Alex Smith, a position that needed a serious change following the disappointment in the Matt Cassel trade made years ago. Not only will they have a considerably better option at QB, but they will have that QB with a fairly good RB in Jamaal Charles, along with a great OT in Brandon Albert and a top target in Dwayne Bowe. When you look at the defense, they have a bright young star in CB Brandon Flowers, now paired with a respectable veteran CB in Dunta Robinson, who has shown in the past he can still get the job done in pass coverage. Oh, and that goes without mentioning their other young star in the secondary in FS Eric Berry, who has a ton of potential in becoming one of the best young safeties in the NFL. It should go without saying that the Chiefs now have a very formidable secondary aimed at becoming a problem for other QBs in the AFC West, including one Peyton Manning, QB of the current division champ Denver Broncos.

Coming into the off-season, the Chiefs needed a ton of help, especially if they had any hope of compeating in the future for a spot in the playoffs. Now, after a surprisingly short amount of time, the Chiefs are in position where they have a ton of options available to them in bolstering this roster. The Chiefs still need quite a bit of work done, so this whole series of events will need time in order to shape up into an image all Chiefs fans are hopeful in seeing, yet now the Chiefs have made it clear they intend on winning from day 1.

Oct 7, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) catches a pass against Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard (31) in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Baltimore won the game 9-6. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

Dwayne Bowe didn’t like receiving the franchise tag. They say money can’t by happiness, and when you get the franchise tag to stay with the lowly Kansas City Chiefs, even all that money can’t make you happy.

But seemingly over night the Chiefs have gone from lowly NFL franchise to an optimistic future. They brought in a quality head coach with a proven track record in Andy Reid. They acquired an NFL quarterback worthy of starting in the league, he even led a team to the NFC Championship game in Alex Smith. And optimism is pouring out of Kansas City right now.

And Dwayne Bowe is drinking the kool-aid.

“I find him to be a very engaging young man,” Dorsey said, via the Kansas City Star. “He’s a receiver and receivers have unique personalities. But he’s a very talented guy. We sat and talked. I told him it’s his responsibility to uphold his end of the bargain. He said he understood the challenge ahead and he totally embraced that challenge. He is ready to take that position of being one of the top receivers in professional football.”

With an improved roster, a quality quarterback and running game, not to mention $56 million with $26 million of it guaranteed, I bet he’s happy. And he’s ready to be the guy, cause really a lot of Kansas City, and Alex Smith’s success, will depend on him being that man.

Dec. 9, 2012; Cleveland, OH, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) makes a catch while being defended by Cleveland Browns cornerback Joe Haden (23) in the first quarter at Cleveland Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

As the NFL deadline for placing franchise tags came and passed the Kansas City Chiefs made a flurry of moves. The first of which was placing the franchise tag on Pro Bowl left tackle Branden Albert. That tender, when Albert signs it will bring him a single season salary of $9.38 million.

The two sides have until July to work out a long term contract that my lower his cap impact this year. With Albert’s history of back problems this might not happen. It still is unknown whether the Chiefs are considering Texas A&M OT Luke Joeckel at the #1 pick. After bringing in Alex Smith and tagging Albert, the two top candidates for the #1 spot don’t seem to fit anymore. The other spot they could address with the #1 pick in April’s NFL Draft would be at defensive tackle.

Chiefs GM John Dorsey though has been adamant that keeping Albert wouldn’t deter them from taking Joeckel in April.

The other potential candidate for the franchise tag from the Chiefs was wide receiver Dwayne Bowe, and they signed him to a 5 year deal, freeing up the tag for Albert. The rumored total is around $11 million annually and will keep Bowe with the Chiefs through his 33rd birthday. He must have felt confidence in the Chiefs moves in acquiring Alex Smith along with Andy Reid taking over as coach.

The third, less exciting move the Chiefs made was to sign punter Dustin Colquitt to a 5 year $18.75 million deal with $8.9 million guaranteed. Colquitt is fresh off his first Pro Bowl season.

Oct 7, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) catches a pass against Baltimore Ravens safety Bernard Pollard (31) in the second half at Arrowhead Stadium. Baltimore won the game 9-6. Mandatory Credit: John Rieger-USA TODAY Sports

The passing game has clearly become the norm in the NFL. And it’s not enough to have a great quarterback, he needs weapons. Running backs can be dual threats and great for check downs. Tight ends are go to targets in the red zone, but what about the rest of the field? You need players with hands to make the big catches and there are some quality players available if you have the pockets and cap space.

Free agency starts before the draft and begins March 12th.

Well here is a list of NFL wide receivers who are free agents, courtesy of Rotoworld:

• Dwayne Bowe
• Mike Wallace
• Greg Jennings
• Wes Welker
• Danny Amendola
• Brian Hartline
• Julian Edelman
• Donnie Avery
• Jerome Simpson
• Kevin Ogletree
• Randy Moss
• Braylon Edwards
• Austin Collie
• Donald Jones
• Josh Cribbs
• Domenik Hixon
• Ramses Barden
• Jabar Gaffney
• Brandon Stokley
• Brandon Gibson
• Steve Breaston
• Titus Young
• Terrell Owens
• Plaxico Burress
• Mohamed Massaquoi
• Chad Johnson
• Deion Branch
• Mark Clayton
• Donte’ Stallworth
• Brandon Tate
• Ted Ginn
• Devery Henderson
• Louis Murphy
• Derek Hagan
• Chaz Schilens
• Sammie Stroughter
• Steve Smith (STL)
• Devin Aromashodu
• Adrian Arrington
• Courtney Roby
• Jason Hill
• Greg Camarillo
• Kassim Osgood
• Roscoe Parrish
• Big Mike Williams
• Lee Evans
• Micheal Spurlock
• Mike Sims-Walker
• Ruvell Martin
• Legedu Naanee

November 12, 2012; Pittsburgh , PA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) runs the ball after a catch against the Pittsburgh Steelers during the second half of the game at Heinz Field. The Steelers won the game, 16-13, in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Jason Bridge-US PRESSWIRE

There has been speculation that Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe wants out of Kansas City. Before the NFL trade deadline, the Chiefs number one wideout was linked to trade talks including the Miami Dolphins and others but, ultimately, no move was made.

On Thursday, Bowe spoke to the media and said that he is not sure where the speculation that he wanted out of Kansas City came from.

“Why wouldn’t I want to stay here? It’s a no-brainer for me,” said Bowe. “I never said I didn’t want to be here. I never said that. This is where it started for me. This is where people know me from. That’s crazy to me.

“When I heard that, I was like, ‘Where did that come from?’ I never said I wanted out. Please clear that up for me. Do I play like I don’t want to be here? I just keep my mouth closed and play the game. That’s what I do. Please tell everybody to stop saying I’m a bad guy. I just don’t talk (to the media much).”

Bowe went on to announce a revelation on his status and happiness with the Chiefs and their organiztion.

“This is where I was drafted,” Bowe said. “When I’m finished, I feel I should be in the Hall of Fame and hopefully win Super Bowls.

“I play the game to win. That’s what I do week in and week out. I feel we can do that here, of course. Things happen, and it won’t be easy, but I try to show (that spirit) and it will become contagious. You’ll see it. It’s coming.”

The fact that Bowe was so open in the interview should comfort Chiefs fans. Bowe rarely gives interviews, so when he does you can expect his complete honesty on the topic.

Dec 11, 2011; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) receives a pass during the third quarter against the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-US PRESSWIRE

The Kansas City Chiefs were given some extra time to discuss potential trades when the East Coast was attacked by Superstorm Sandy early this week.

While the trade deadline was moved back from Tuesday to Thursday at 4:00 pm Eastern Time. It looks like the Chiefs will not take advantage of the additional time. They were believed to be discussing trade options for star wide receiver Dwayne Bowe but it now appears unlikely that Bowe will be moved before the deadline.

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This season, Bowe has 37 receptions for 492 yards and three scores. Many believe that he could be in his last year with the Chiefs organization.

August 10, 2012; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel (7) hands off to running back Peyton Hillis (40) in the first quarter of the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-US PRESSWIRE

In 2010 we saw the emergence of the Kansas City Chiefs as playoff contenders with players like Matt Cassel, Jamaal Charles and Dwayne Bowe living up to expectations and making a big impact to take the team to the playoffs with a 10-6 record. In 2011 however it all went to pot as, facing one of the tougher schedules in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs seemed to collapse as Jamaal Charles got hurt and Bowe and Cassel had forgettable seasons.

In 2012, the Chiefs are coming back.

I went back and watched Kansas City’s first two preseason games against the Cardinals and Rams and saw a lot of promising signs. Let’s face it, it’s easy to look good against those two defenses – although the Rams actually fought back – but I wasn’t interested in scores or flashy moves. I wanted to see how the key offensive components were settling into the new scheme of offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and what I saw encouraged me no end.

First off, quarterback Matt Cassel looks as comfortable as I have ever seen him. If there was one thing that’s always been noticeable about Cassel it is that he always looks tense in the pocket. Now nobody is going to mistake Matt Cassel for a mobile quarterback and his footwork has always been a big part of that as at times he has the tendency to look like a statue while in the pocket. From the film of him so far in the preseason it looks like he’s finally starting to loosen up a little – something that is always a good sign when you’re looking for a quarterback to step up and make the adjustments necessary to lead a team. He was also making pretty good decisions out there and appeared to be working through his reads with poise. Plenty to be encouraged about there.

Closely associated with the fate of Cassel is that of running back Jamaal Charles. After Charles tore his ACL early last season, the Chiefs offense often looked lost in the remainder of the season. This preseason JC looks like his old self, moving freely and getting open as easily as ever. It looked like the knee was 100% and he displayed moves that left you in no doubt that the former Pro Bowler is not only healthy but that he hasn’t lost a step.

Finally there is Dwayne Bowe who this week finally decided to come in from the cold and sign his franchise tender. While I wasn’t able to see him play this week, the fact that Cassel has had a pretty good time of it passing should mean that once Bowe is out there we should see some real fireworks. When he showed up and signed his contract, Bowe did the most important thing he could – he passed his conditioning test easily on the first attempt. That tells me that at the very least Bowe is focused and has shown discipline during the offseason – something that has been lacking in many past seasons. I’ll be paying very close attention to how much Bowe plays in game 3 and how effective Bowe is out of the gate.

The next preseason game against the Seattle Seahawks should tell us a lot about what we should expect from the Kansas City Chiefs offense in 2012 as the Seahawks defense is one that has really come along the past year or two and should provide a good test. We should see both teams top options in the game for at least the first half and possibly most of the third quarter as well – tune in if you can as you may see some entertaining attacks from this Kansas City offense.

September 25, 2011; San Diego, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) prior to the game against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

The Kansas City Chiefs can now welcome back their star receiver Dwayne Bowe. After all signs pointed to Bowe returning to the team, it has finally become official.

[blackbirdpie url="https://twitter.com/AlbertBreer/status/236519351501606912"]

Last season, Bowe found the endzone five times. He racked up 81 catches and 1,159 yards receiving. Not having Bowe for the Chiefs 2012 campaign would have been a devastating blow to their team. The Chiefs have the potential to be Super Bowl contenders and having Bowe back on the roster brings them one step closer.

Oct 23, 2011; Oakland, CA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe (82) returns to the sideline after a play during the first quarter against the Oakland Raiders at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE

The Kansas City Chiefs and wide receiver Dwayne Bowe were unable to reach an agreement for a long-term contract before Monday afternoon’s deadline. As a result, Bowe will play the year under the franchise tag. But what is next for Dwayne Bowe? Will 2012 be his last as a member of the Chiefs?

The team drafted Jonathan Baldwin in the first-round just a year ago. They also brought in Steve Breaston through free agency and drafted Steven Wylie. All of the receivers are locked up through 2015.

As for Bowe, if he hits the open market, he will generate significant interest. This has prompted CBSSports’ Jason La Canfora to say he  ”would be pretty surprised” if Bowe returned to the Chiefs next season. He wrote:

The entire offense there could be in for a shakeup, the Chiefs continue to grab young receivers high in the draft and I don’t see Bowe in any rush to sign his tender, which won’t create great goodwill with Scott Pioli. The sides made progress, but never bridged a considerable gap. As more receivers sign long-term deals, it makes Bowe a more attractive commodity on the free-agent market and this could well be his swan song in Kansas City.

Bowe, at age 27, remains a young receiver with a lot of gas left in the tank. Things appear headed downhill in Kansas City, so Chiefs fans should prepare themselves for the worst.

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