KC Chiefs Rumors: Dwayne Bowe Must Re-Negotiate Contract

Kansas City Chiefs are likely to cut WR Dwayne Bowe unless he agrees to a salary reduction according to ESPN.com’s Adam Teicher.

Currently, the Chiefs have only $683,418 in cap room according to website Over the Cap. This estimate does not include franchising free-agent OLB Justin Houston.

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Dwayne Bowe has the second-highest cap number on the team at $14 million for the 2015 season. Not only is Bowe’s contract the second-largest on the Chiefs, he’s also the fourth-highest paid receiver in the league.

With Bowe’s limited production of 60 catches for a mere 754 yards and zero touchdowns, the wide-receiver isn’t anywhere close to justifying his contract.

Bowe’s contract is so obviously untenable, some pundits are already eyeing him as a potential off-season trade target.

Something has to give.

Chiefs general manager John Dorsey faces a number of tough decisions this off-season. One of his top problems are players with bloated cap numbers relative to their production. Bowe is the leading example, but the team also faces a sticky situation with safety Eric Berry—who has the fourth-highest cap number on the team at $8.36 million.

While Berry is reported to have an 80% chance of surviving lymphoma, he faces an uphill battle in resuming his career. Even if he can pull a Mario Lemiuex (who returned to hockey after lymphoma treatments in 1993), Berry isn’t likely to contribute much in 2015.

Dorsey could report Berry as having a non-football injury and not pay him his $5.155 million salary, or cut him without too many cap repercussions since Berry is in the last year of his contract.

Yet, such a move would undermine the team’s family atmosphere, and its morale. Look for the Chiefs to negotiate a lower salary to retain Berry’s rights in case he can return to football.

Berry’s situation means the team will almost certainly have to re-negotiate Dwayne Bowe’s contract, because they simply can’t carry two unproductive deals among their top four contracts.

I expect that the Chiefs will come to an agreement with Dwayne Bowe. John Dorsey told Foxsports.com that:

"“I think the numbers were very similar to the year before,” Chiefs general manager John Dorsey said of Bowe, who snared 57 balls for 673 yards in 2013. “I think Dwayne is a really good teammate. He cares about the game. I thought this offseason he came back in the best shape I’ve seen him in. And, you know, he’s done a nice job.”"

On December 15, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid also offered support for Bowe as reported by KCChiefs.com:

"“Dwayne [Bowe] is one of my favorite guys that I’ve had a chance to coach,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said on Monday. “He keeps it real out there every day and brings energy every day. You don’t have big ups and downs and personality or anything else. He enjoys doing what he does.”"

Finally, Dwayne Bowe himself seems to have a realistic attitude about his contract situation. He told Foxsports.com’s Sean Keeler:

"“It’s economics,” Bowe shrugged. “It’s all math. It’s all about numbers right now. But my numbers have been good overall. That’s all that matters.”"

Add it all up, and it appears that both Bowe and the Chiefs are amenable to some sort of compromise. Chiefs fans can expect to see Dwayne Bowe in a Kansas City uniform next season.

Next: Wide Receives the Chiefs should consider in 2015 Draft

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