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Dwayne Bowe finally gets paid
Talk about waiting til the last minute. The franchise tag deadline came and went at 3:00 p.m. (Arrowhead Time) and we heard nothing. Then the report came in. Bowe and the Chiefs had agreed to a new five-year deal, the news we've all been waiting to hear for so long now.
This means that Alex Smith will have the top receiver on his side, and not just for one season. We'll wait to judge the contract until we see the numbers but on the surface this makes the Chiefs better. That's why I like it.
Put simply: this move had to happen. The Chiefs HAD to keep Bowe. There was no reasonable way to look at this team without Bowe and think they'd be OK.
Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Chiefs tag Albert; long-term deal still possible
All along we heard the likely scenario was Bowe getting the franchise tag. There was just too much talent at left tackle in both free agency and the draft to pick Albert over Bowe.
Of course, that didn't mean the Chiefs didn't want to keep Albert. They clearly did. It was just that when you posed the Bowe vs. Albert question, given the circumstances, Bowe made more sense.
Albert will make nearly $10 million on the franchise tag. He and the Chiefs can continue to work towards a long-term deal, and will have until mid-July to do so. This tag does NOT mean Albert can't sign a new deal. He can.
The impact of this move will really be seen in the 2013 NFL Draft. If Albert wasn't retained, the obvious conclusion is that the Chiefs would select Luke Joeckel. But now that Albert is in house ... they can go anywhere. Anywhere! Dee Milliner? In play. Defensive line? Certainly in play.
Chiefs draft talk just got a lot more interesting.
Harry How Getty Images Sport
The Pro Bowl punter gets a new deal
Ah, yes. This move will go under the radar given the importance of Bowe and Albert but it shouldn't be overlooked. Colquitt is a Pro Bowl punter and the Chiefs were able to keep him.
These three players were the Chiefs three best free agents, and they found a way to keep them all.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Keep reading:
Everything we know about the Chiefs big news
Chiefs GM: Dustin Colquitt is an 'elite punter'
The truth about Alex Smith: 49ers fan's perspective