Apparently, Dwayne Bowe did not want to partake in training camp.
That's the best explanation for why Bowe signed his one-year tender on Friday, the day after the Chiefs finished training camp in St. Joseph, Mo.
It is not known whether Bowe will be in St. Louis for Saturday's preseason game, but if he is with the team, he will not be able to play per the NFL's collective bargaining agreement which requires a three-day acclimation period. Bowe would have to practice three times before he can wear pads.
If you're the glass half-full type, it wouldn't be outlandish to say Bowe's absence in training camp could help the Chiefs down the road. It gave Jon Baldwin an opportunity to be the go-to receiver in camp and Baldwin shined. The progression of the second-year wideout combined with Bowe could give the Chiefs their best receiving tandem in years.
Receiver also becomes one of Kansas City's deepest positions. Steve Breaston can now move into the slot, a position where he excelled in Arizona. Dexter McCluster, who has found a home in the slot, gives the Chiefs another playmaker there.
The next phase of the Bowe contract watch will take place after the season when the Chiefs decide whether or not to sign him to a long-term deal or place the franchise tag on him again, which would cost approximately $11.4 million in 2013. Slapping the tag on Bowe again in 2013 is unlikely considering both LT Branden Albert and DT Glenn Dorsey will be candidates for the franchise tag.
Bowe is one of the few franchise players the team has developed at receiver. He is one of only two Chiefs receivers to make the Pro Bowl since 1990 -- Bowe made it in 2010 and Andre Rison was a Pro Bowler in 1997 -- and he is coming off his two most productive seasons, racking up 153 catches for 2,321 yards and 20 touchdowns in the last two years.
Follow Chiefs reporter C.J. Moore on Twitter @CBSSportsNFLKC and @cjmoore4.
