Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio wrote this afternoon he thinks the suspension of Dwayne Bowe could lead to his ouster after week one of the season.
"Unless Bowe’s contract specifically was negotiated to remove now-standard language voiding future guarantees in the event of a suspension, the Chiefs could make a move at any point after Bowe’s one-week exile begins, but before the moment that his salary becomes guaranteed as “termination pay,” a benefit for all players with four or more years of service who are on a team’s Week One roster."
Florio further speculates Bowe may be the solution for the Cleveland Browns at wide receiver should Josh Gordon be suspended for the season. He notes the issues with learning the offense but says Bowe’s relationship with former Chiefs front office personnel Ray Farmer and Bill Kuharich along with Bowe’s understanding of the west coast offense should help clear some of the major hurdles.
All of what Florio writes is pure speculation. It is carefully worded to say what ‘might’ happen as opposed ‘this is what is going to happen.’ Could the Chiefs cut Dwayne Bowe after week one? Yes. Will they cut Bowe after week one? Doubtful.
The Chiefs financial situation is such where cutting Bowe is necessary unless Andy Reid and John Dorsey determine there is no more need for him on the team this season. Salary cap constraints are not the reason why deals have not been done with Justin Houston and Alex Smith, it is the separation between what Houston and Smith want and what the Chiefs think Houston and Smith are worth. The salary cap is a very fungible thing that can be easily manipulated. Look no further than the Denver Broncos offseason spending for an example.
Letting Bowe leave after the 2014 season does become a little bit easier if Bowe underperforms again this year and if a few of the young receivers step up their play. But the benefit of letting Bowe go now and risk having him sign with a team on KC’s schedule (read: Flowers, Brandon) is virtually non-existent.
Yes, the Chiefs could save a bunch of money against the cap for 2014 and beyond by letting him go after the Titans game, and it does open up another roster spot for a receiver like Frankie Hammond or to keep one of the promising young offensive linemen. None of those things are worth more to the Chiefs for the 2014 season than having Bowe on the field. Cutting him simply does not make sense unless the Chiefs plan to punt the season.