KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the second straight offseason, Kansas City Chiefs starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is a free agent.
Also for the second straight offseason, there’s little chance he’s not with the Chiefs next season.
Brown, acquired via trade before the 2021 NFL Draft, played last season on the franchise tag and he may get tagged again for the 2023 season.
“It’s an option,” General Manager Brett Veach said Tuesday during a news conference at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. “We went through this path last year. As always, it’s more beneficial to us to get something done long-term. That’s why this season is so important for us.”
Brown — whose salary on the franchise tag last season was $16.7 million, according to Over the Cap — would be in line for a 20% raise to nearly $20 million fully guaranteed next season, if he gets tagged a second time.
Teams have until March 7 to tag players and have until July 15 to work out a long-term contract before the tag locks in for the 2023 season.
With Kansas City already projected over the 2023 salary cap, a long-term deal would provide the Chiefs with much-needed flexibility, but it remains to be seen if the sides can reach an accord.
Brown didn’t sign with his new agent, Michael Portner of Delta Sports Group, until June, which left only a few weeks for contract negotiations last offseason.
“Unlike last year, I think we have a little bit of a runway to work with and we’ve gotten to know his team a little better,” Veach said. “So, we’re excited to get the process started here and hopefully we can get something figured out.”
