From www.profootballtalk.com:
CHIEFS WON'T MATCH TAIT OFFER
One of our moles in K.C. says that the Chiefs don't plan to match the offer sheet signed by tackle John Tait with the Chicago Bears.
Before officially declining to meet the six-year, $34 million package, the Chiefs will try to squeeze a draft pick or two out of the Bears in return for a trade of the rights to Tait. If that fails, the Chiefs plan to wait until the last minute to announce their decision to let Tait walk.
The fact that the deal gives Tait an $11 million cap number in 2004 is a major factor in the decision.
We're also told that the offer contains a no-trade clause, which scuttled the Chiefs' initial plan to match the Bears' offer and ship Tait to the Dolphins for defensive end Adewale Ogunleye.
Ironically, the big roster bonus would help the Chiefs manage the cap hit from the resulting bonus acceleration, if the trade would have happened before the roster bonus became due. With only $3 million in amortized bonus money, the cap hit would be far less than in a traditional deal. (Of course, the Dolphins might have trouble devoting $11 million in cap room to Tait.)
G.M. Carl Peterson will now try, we hear, to finagle at least a second-round pick from the Bears for Tait. If/when the Bears balk, Peterson will drag his feet on making a decision, in order to keep the Bears out of the market for other players, such as offensive tackle Ephraim Salaam.