General manager Brett Veach of the Kansas City Chiefs says it’s “probable” that the team will use the franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.
The Kansas City Chiefs have a number of high-profile free agents this summer. Safety On the defensive side of the ball, Tyrann Mathieu is a prominent star who needs a new deal. On the offensive side of the ball, the team traded for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. only last season.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said on Tuesday at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind., that his objective is to sign Brown to a long-term contract, but that the team will “likely” use the franchise tag on him.
Veach says the goal is to have a long-term deal by the new league year but notes the bigger the deal, the longer it can take. Feels they’ll be in a good spot there by the start of the season https://t.co/1XlPCsAkvP
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) March 1, 2022
Orlando Brown’s franchise tag is ‘probable,’ according to Brett Veach
The 2022 league year starts on March 16 at 4:00 p.m. ET, but Veach has until March 8 to reach an agreement with Brown without having to use the franchise tag. Veach can utilize the tag to negotiate a long-term deal until July if no progress is reached by 4:00 p.m. ET on March 8.
Because he is an offensive lineman, a franchise tag for him will cost $16.5 million, according to Spotrac.
After being destroyed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense in Super Bowl 55, Veach and the Chiefs made it a point to repair their offensive line. Brown, who was previously with the Baltimore Ravens, was brought in to replace left tackle, Eric Fisher.
Brown, a 2021 second-round pick, and a 2022 sixth-round pick were acquired by the Chiefs in exchange for a 2021 first-round pick, a 2021 third-rounder, a 2021 fourth-round pick, and a 2022 fifth-round pick.
According to Pro Football Focus, Brown was flagged seven times and allowed four sacks in 1,127 offensive snaps.
Veach has a strategy in place to keep Brown under contract through 2022, and possibly beyond.
