Chiefs keeping Bowe

KANSAS CITY (AP) — It hasn’t taken long for the new regime of the Kansas City Chiefs to make an impression.

The Chiefs announced Monday they signed wide receiver Dwayne Bowe and punter Dustin Colquitt to new long-term contracts and placed the franchise tag on left tackle Branden Albert.

All three of the players were due to become free agents.

The moves come less than a week after new Chiefs general manager John Dorsey and coach Andy Reid acquired quarterback Alex Smith from the San Francisco 49ers for their second-round pick in this year’s draft and a conditional selection in next year’s draft.

The Chiefs had until Monday afternoon to decide whether to franchise any of their free agents, and they wound up placing the tag on Albert, who will make $9.828 million next season.

A former first-round pick, Albert has developed into one of the better left tackles in the league. He made only 11 starts and appeared in 13 games last season because of injuries, but has otherwise offered dependable blindside protection for Chiefs quarterbacks.

“We felt it was in the best interest of the Kansas City Chiefs to place the tag on Branden,” Dorsey said in a statement. “We will continue to negotiate with Branden and his agent to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial. We’re looking forward to working with Branden in the future.”

The decision to franchise Albert was made easier by reaching deals with Bowe and Colquitt.

Bowe was the recipient of the franchise tag last year. He was unhappy with the decision and didn’t report to training camp until it was well under way, but still managed to catch 59 passes for 801 yards and three touchdowns despite weak quarterback play.

“We’re excited to have Dwayne on the roster for the long term,” Reid said. “Dwayne’s a big, physical receiver who has had success in this league. He is part of the Chiefs family, and it was important to him to remain in Kansas City. I’m looking forward to working with Dwayne.”

Bowe sent out a tweet Monday with a photo of him on the phone that said: “On vacation till I got the call that changed my life. I wanna thank the Hunt Family & the Chiefs organization.”

Financial terms of Bowe’s agreement were not immediately available.

“I’m very blessed to be a member of the Kansas City Chiefs,” he said in a statement issued by the team. “The Hunt family and the fan base have been very supportive over the years, and I am looking forward to working with John and Coach Reid in the near future. I’m excited to continue my career with the Chiefs and hopefully help this team reach our goals.”

Colquitt’s new contract is for five years and $18.75 million, making him the highest-paid punter in the league. The Chiefs did not disclose his contract terms.

Colquitt made his first Pro Bowl last season after averaging 46.8 yards per punt.

Cowboys putting franchise tag on Spencer again

IRVING, Texas — The Cowboys are putting the franchise tag on Anthony Spencer for the second straight year, this time after he significantly boosted his bargaining power with his best season in Dallas.

The team announced the move Monday and Spencer’s agent, Jordan Woy, wrote in a tweet that negotiations on a long-term contract would continue for the Cowboys’ 2012 sacks leader; Spencer had a career-high 11.

The Cowboys released safety Gerald Sensabaugh to clear $1.4 million under the salary cap and have dumped more than $20 million in cap money in the past week by reworking contracts with several veterans.

Dallas, which was penalized $5 million off its cap in both 2012 and 2013, could clear more space by releasing other players or reworking more deals, including that of quarterback Tony Romo.

The franchise tag for Spencer comes with the Cowboys switching from the 3-4 defense to the 4-3, which likely will mean a move to defensive end for Spencer after six years at outside linebacker.

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