Chiefs' Dwayne Bowe signs franchise tender

The Chiefs have one of their biggest playmakers back in the fold. (Getty Images)

It's official: Chiefs wide receiver Dwayne Bowe has signed his franchise tender, the team announced Friday. He'll join the team after missing the first two weeks of training camp and Kansas City's preseason win over Arizona last Friday.

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Bowe is set to make roughly $9.5 million, the going rate for franchised wide receivers. As the team's 2007 first-round pick out of LSU, he's also an integral part to any success this offense will have in 2012.

Quarterback Matt Cassel has had a good camp, and played well against the Cardinals in the preseason opener, but this is a team that struggled with injuries and consistency a year ago as they limped to a 7-9 record and last place in the AFC West (to be fair, the three other teams, including division champs Denver, were 8-8).

Bowe, who isn't likely to play against the Rams this weekend, will join 2011 first-round Jonathan Baldwin as the Chiefs' top two wide receivers. And the return of a healthy Jamaal Charles gives new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll some much-needed versatility.

In five seasons, Bowe 356 receptions for 4,927 yards and 36 touchdowns. Last season he hauled in 81 passes, the second most of his career, but saw his touchdowns and yards-per-reception drop from 2010 (down from 15 to five for the former, and from 16.1 to 14.3 for the latter). This was due in large part to Cassel missing the last half of the season with an injured hand and being replaced by Tyler Palko and Kyle Orton.

Bowe is the last franchised player to sign his tender.

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