Arrowheadlines: Chiefs News 7/17

Good morning! Today's Kansas City Chiefs news is obviously Bowe-heavy, but we are just 10 days from Training Camp so the pre-season predictions are starting to show up as well. Read on for those items and be sure to stuff the ballot box vote in ESPN's SportsNation polls on the AFC West. Enjoy!

If Bowe eventually signs elsewhere, blame the Chiefs for allowing it to get to this point and mistakenly believing that they're advanced enough to compete for a playoff spot without their best wide receiver.

Maybe they've been preparing for life after Bowe for a while; they have targeted wide receivers, including big possession guys, like no other position the last two years. Now the team has to hope that Jon Baldwin or rookie Junior Hemingway emerges as a potential No. 1 receiver, or hope that Bowe realizes that he can be that superstar in time, but only in the right system.

And blame Bowe for exaggerating his expectations and value. Maybe the Chiefs are, and will continue to be, the right place for him. But maybe not. After Monday, we won't know for a while.

No Deal Done For Bowe, Which Could Prove Costly from KC Star

Will Cassel perform like the quarterback who led the Patriots to an 11-5 record in 2008, and the one that captured an AFC West title with Pro Bowl production in 2010 ... or will Cassel perform like the quarterback who combined to go 8-16 as a starter with the Chiefs in 2009 and 2011.

There are a lot of factors at play when comparing the four seasons. In many ways, it's like comparing apples to oranges. There are two teams involved, five different offensive coordinators, injuries to factor in, evolution at the wide receiver position and varying degrees of run-game assistance.

Arguments have been made in both directions, but there's no doubt this is Cassel's offense heading into the 2012 season.

Heartland Health Training Camp Preview: Quarterbacks from The Mothership

KC Star Poll: Will Bowe Play For Chiefs Beyond This Season?

ESPN Polls: SportsCenter Special: AFC West Preview

And maybe the conversation between Chiefs GM Scott Pioli and Todd France, Bowe's agent, went something like this:

RINNGGGGGG!

PIOLI: Hello?

FRANCE: Vincent Jacks ...

PIOLI: (Click.)

At any rate, what's done is done, and the notion of a long-term contract for Bowe is done, at least for the time being.

Options Now Are Simple For Chiefs' Bowe from FOX Sports KC

Cassel says that the Chiefs plan to utilize their tight ends a lot more in the coming season. He says the tight end is an important position across the league and Moeaki can block and catch the ball and that makes him an important part of the offense.

Kansas City QB Talks About Moeaki, Stanzi from Radio Iowa

To celebrate our 50th year in Kansas City, the Chiefs are awarding one grand prize winner the opportunity to join Trent Green, Paul Burmeister, and the award-winning 65 Toss Power Trap Productions crew at Lambeau Field!

You'll join us on the sidelines as our second half reporter during the Chiefs fourth and final preseason game as an integral part of the team that provides the Chiefs Kingdom with inside information on game day.

Rock The Mic Sideline Reporter Contest from The Mothership

Schrager Prediction: Nobody's talking about what a difference Berry and Charles will make for this team. Both were gone after Week 3 last season and their impact was missed. Routt, Eric Winston and Peyton Hillis were all sound acquisitions and there's great momentum after the way the team played for Romeo Crennel last season. It seems as though everyone's making the AFC West into a two-horse race, but I think Kansas City has a shot to win the division. That is, of course, if Cassel does the job he needs to do.

Schrager's 2-A-Days: Chiefs And Panthers from FOX Sports

There were only two other franchise wide receivers, and it seemed fairly obvious from the outset that the Chiefs, who will now pay Bowe $9.4 million, and the New England Patriots ($9.4 million for Wes Welker) weren't going to approximate Philadelphia's long-term deal with DeSean Jackson. The Pats seemed well aware of Welker's age (31) and the Chiefs of Bowe's work ethic.

Running Backs Continue To Rake In Huge Contracts from The San Francisco Examiner

I would be pretty surprised to see Dwayne Bowe back in Kansas City after 2012. 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.

Who got Paid And Who Didn't Is The Product Of Teams' Needs And Outlook from CBS Sports

Romeo Crennel, Kansas City Chiefs

Injuries devastated the Chiefs early and often last season, but that still wasn't enough of an excuse for Todd Haley to save his job. Crennel took over, went 2-1 in the final three games, and should get a healthy Jamaal Charles, Eric Berry and other key players back this season. Now it's up to Crennel to show he's the right man to lead the Chiefs back to the playoffs. Even though he and general manager Scott Pioli have a relationship that goes back to their days with the Patriots, Crennel's track record as a head coach (24-40 with Cleveland from 2005-08) isn't exactly the strongest.

2012 NFL Head Coaches: Who Is On The Hot Seat from Anthlon Sports