What's cooking in Kansas City? Plenty
By Adam Schefter
Special to NFL.com
(June 5, 2006) -- Kansas City produces barbecue and headlines. These days, they revolve around an old tight end, a prospective new tight end, and a running back trying to make one end run.
Preliminary contract extension talks between the Chiefs and tight end Tony Gonzalez are expected to accelerate later this summer, after the team signs its rookies. By the time the season opens, the Chiefs intend to have Gonzalez signed to an extension that will keep him in Kansas City for the remainder of his career.
But this position was set up four years ago, in the first year of Gonzalez's five-year, $25 million contract. He had a playing-time incentive that he easily achieved, voiding the final two years of the contract (2007-08).
Now, this is the last season of Gonzalez's deal, and the two sides are taking the proper steps to ensure it won't be the tight end's last season in Kansas City. Talks are under way. They will continue this summer, and don't be surprised if they end sometime in August with another new, lucrative deal for the perennial Pro Bowl tight end.
Yet the next tight end the Chiefs sign could be this week.
Former offensive tackle Kyle Turley wants to get a deal done with the Chiefs, and Kansas City wants to sign him. Now all that remains is the two sides hammering out an agreement. The Chiefs want to move the 260-pound Turley to tight end -- a blocker to complement the pass-catching Gonzalez. The transition could commence this week.
What won't happen this week is any answers on the future of running back Priest Holmes. His status has not changed. Holmes was in South Texas over the weekend to speak at a youth football camp and told a local newspaper he is determined to play. But he still hasn't received medical clearance, and might not anytime soon, if ever.
But Holmes and the Chiefs are willing to wait. The idea of placing Holmes on the Physically Unable to Perform list has been bandied about in the organization, meaning Holmes could be this season's Tedy Bruschi, who opened last season on PUP for the Patriots.
But for now, the wait continues on Gonzalez's contract, Turley's arrival and Holmes' return.
