Chiefs LT Orlando Brown Jr. Will Report To Camp, Play Under Franchise Tag

Tom Pelissero reports that Chiefs LT Orlando Brown Jr. now plans to report to training camp and play under the franchise tag after the two sides were unable to reach an agreement.

Brown’s agent Michael Portner released the following statement: “He wanted to be there for padded practice because that’s when leaders are developed.”

Kansas City used the franchise tag on Brown in March, which is projected to be $16.6 million fully guaranteed for next season. 

Mike Garafolo recently reported that Kansas City and Brown were “nowhere close” to agreeing on a long-term deal and his holdout could have potentially stretched beyond training camp and into Week 1 of the regular season.

Garafolo mentioned that Brown wants to be paid “at the top of the left tackle market,” but Kansas City’s offers have been based at the top of the right tackle market. 

Brown is owed $16.6 million fully guaranteed for the 2022 season under the franchise tag. The high end of the left tackle market is $22-23 million per year.

Brown, 25, was a third-round pick by the Ravens out of Oklahoma back in 2018. He was entering the final year of his four-year, $3.49 million rookie deal that included a signing bonus of $865,720 when he was traded to the Chiefs in exchange for a package that included a first-round pick. 

Brown Jr. is a two-time Pro Bowler and set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2023. 

In 2021, Brown appeared in 16 games for the Chiefs and made 16 starts at left tackle. He was rated by Pro Football Focus as the No. 28 tackle out of 83 qualifying players. 

We will have more news on Brown Jr. as it becomes available.