Kansas City Chiefs: Would Parting Ways with Dwayne Bowe Hurt the Team?

Dwayne Bowe has played a big role for the Kansas City Chiefs since the team drafted him out of LSU in 2007. Even though he was sharing the load in the receiving game with future Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end Tony Gonzalez, Bowe still managed to pull in 2,017 yards and 12 touchdown grabs in his first two years. 

Despite his glaring drop issues in his second season, Bowe showed a lot of promise for the future. Instead, he has only given the Chiefs just a couple of solid seasons throughout a roller-coaster career in Kansas City.

Year	Receptions	Targets	Receiving Yards	Touchdowns
2007	70	117	995	5
2008	86	158	1,022	7
2009	47	87	589	4
2010	72	132	1,162	15
2011	81	141	1,159	5
2012	59	114	801	3
2013	57	105	673	5
2014	14	24	195	0

It is fair to say the Chiefs have been more than patient with Bowe. Even during his best season in 2010, Bowe started with nine catches for 152 yards and one touchdown.

In Week 5 of 2010, the team’s fourth game of the season after a bye week, the Chiefs held then-Colts quarterback Peyton Manning to zero touchdown passes, pressuring him throughout the game. Kansas City had a golden opportunity to take the lead on the road when then-quarterback Matt Cassel found Bowe wide open in the end zone, only for Bowe to drop it.

That play is one of many examples as to why Bowe has been a thorn in the side of his own team for years. He went on to lead the league in touchdowns with 15 that year and got his first Pro Bowl invitation, but that was his only big season.

As much potential as Bowe has, he has not lived up to it.

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

The franchise was revamped when the Chiefs brought in general manager John Dorsey, head coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith during the 2013 offseason. Under Reid’s guidance and with Smith under center, Bowe was expected to do better.

Dorsey even went ahead with his first major move as a Chiefs general manager in re-signing Bowe to a five-year deal worth $56 million.

However, Bowe has yet to step up.

During the team’s 9-0 start, Bowe’s name was barely brought up, and it was not a topic of discussion until he was arrested for possession of marijuana and speeding during the team’s bye week.

Even though the offense lost running back Jamaal Charles early in the postseason game against the Indianapolis Colts, Bowe was a big factor in helping the Chiefs score 44 points. He caught eight catches for 150 yards and a touchdown, which eventually built a 28-point lead, despite falling late in the game.

Since the new regime arrived in Kansas City, Bowe’s best regular-season game came a couple of weeks ago on Monday Night Football against the Patriots, when he caught five passes for 81 yards. For a player to earn $56 million through five years and have that be his best regular-season game is not OK.

As Kansas City’s primary receiver, Charles still led the team in every receiving category in 2013. This year, tight end Travis Kelce has been the team’s best pass-catcher.

Through the four games Bowe has played in this year, he has caught just 14 passes for 195 yards and has yet to catch a touchdown.

The question at this point is: Would parting ways with Bowe, preferably trading him, hurt the Chiefs?

Yes, the Chiefs have an extremely thin receiving corps, and Bowe is the best player at that position. But is there a notable difference between Bowe, Donnie Avery and Junior Hemingway? 

Bowe has proved that he can come through, but he has not done so. Chiefs fans are unsure if Bowe will step up and play well or play poorly each week.

A change of scenery might help Bowe, giving him a chance to succeed somewhere else. In fact, if the price is right, trading Bowe could benefit the Chiefs and their trade partner.

Unless a team, like the New York Giants, who recently lost Victor Cruz for the season, desperately needs a wide receiver right now to finish the season, Bowe is likely to conclude 2014 in Kansas City.

If Bowe stays with the team going into the 2015 offseason and ends the season on another low note, Dorsey has an important decision to make with his No. 1 receiver.

It is no secret that Kansas City’s best receiver has barely made an impact since Dorsey signed him to a mega-contract, and something must be done about it.

At this point, it is obvious that if Bowe was traded away, it would not hurt the team and the fanbase might not feel dismayed.

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