Kansas City Chiefs Make Dustin Colquitt League’s Highest Paid Punter
By Josh Sanchez
The NFL Franchise Tag deadline is generally not a big cause for excitement in league circles, but the moves the Kansas City Chiefs were able to pull off in the final minutes have got everyone talking.
It was assumed before the deadline that the team would part ways with either offensive tackle Branden Albert of wide receiver Dwayne Bowe in free agency, but a flurry of last minute deals allowed the team to hang on to both players. First, the Chiefs used the franchise tag on Albert and then it was announced Bowe signed a new long-term deal with the team.
Not only did Kansas City lock up Albert and Bowe, but they were able to hang on to another key starter and lock him up for the next five years.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Chiefs reached an agreement with punter Dustin Colquitt that will make him the highest paid punter in the league. Here is Schefter’s report:
Dustin Colquitt is now highest-paid punter in NFL. He reached agreement with Chiefs on a 5-yr, $18.75 million deal, including $8.9 mil gtd.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 4, 2013
Everyone will now begin to analyze what the Chiefs should do with the first-overall pick.
Is it possible that they could take one of the consensus top players on the board in Chance Warmack or Dee Milliner now that they locked up their starting right tackle or could the team turn their attention to a star defensive lineman? There is also the possibility that the Chiefs could bump Albert inside to guard and still draft Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel.
There are still a lot of questions yet to be answered, but one thing is for sure — the Chiefs are the big winners just before the start of free agency.