RIVER FALLS, Wis. -- Dwayne Bowe strolled out of the Kansas City Chiefs' locker room Monday morning to a good-natured jab from new teammate Michael Bennett.
"Nice of you to join us," Bennett said while slapping hands with Bowe, who ended his holdout and agreed to a five-year contract with the Chiefs.
Bowe, a wide receiver from LSU and the team's top draft pick, will begin camp on the physically unable-to-perform list. He will work out individually until he is in good enough shape to participate in team drills, Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said.
"We've got to make sure that we get him through that first period of training camp where his legs are underneath him so he can go out and compete," Edwards said. "From there, it's just a matter of how quickly he learns."
Bowe, who missed the first 10 days of camp, is not expected to play in Kansas City's first preseason game at Cleveland this weekend, but should be ready when the Chiefs host to Miami on Aug. 16, Edwards said.
"Coach said I'm like 200 reps behind, but football is football," Bowe told reporters. "You go out there and catch the ball and run around, get in the groove. That takes a couple days, and then I'll be ready to go."
The Chiefs are certainly hoping so, having drafted Bowe in the first round with the idea that he can improve a group of receivers whose most reliable target, Eddie Kennison, is 34 years old. The unit has been plagued by dropped passes during training camp.
Bowe will be competing for playing time in a group that includes veterans Samie Parker and Rod Gardner, along with youngsters Jeff Webb and Chris Hannon.
Edwards said he isn't going to hand a starting position to Bowe.
"He has the potential (to be a starter). But when I look at starters, those receivers, to me, are going to play in this system on a rotation, with three or four of them. We want to keep them fresh," Edwards said. "He's going to play outside some and in the slot some," Edwards said. "No different than he did in the spring."
Bowe, a three-year starter at LSU who had 65 catches for 990 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2006, is a big, physical receiver who should become an attractive red zone target in Kansas City's passing scheme.
"Most definitely, that's on my mind," Bowe said. "Once I get out there and get going with the offense, I'm sure I'll earn a spot."
Chiefs President Carl Peterson said he wished the two sides could have reached an agreement sooner.
"The good news is that the contract is done, but the bad news is that it took so long," Peterson said. "I'm glad to finally get Dwayne into camp."
Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.
