SAINT JOSEPH, Mo. — Though Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown wasn’t present for the arrival day of annual training camp, his presence (or lack thereof) was certainly felt.
“I don't know whether he's gonna be here or not,” Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said on Friday.
The Chiefs franchise tagged the pro-bowl tackle this offseason, but reportedly made a strong push to reach a long-term agreement before the league deadline on July 15.
Ultimately, Brown and the team weren't able to reach a deal.
“If he's here, great. And if he's not, we move on,” Reid said.
The team acquired Brown in a trade with the Baltimore Ravens ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft.
#Chiefs Patrick Mahomes calls Orlando Brown a great team guy. Says he’s disappointed deal didn’t get done but still “talks with him regularly” pic.twitter.com/iKzKI6hgJX
— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladd0) July 22, 2022
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports Kansas City offered a 6-year, $139 million deal before the deadline, but the sides could not agree to terms.
“You want him to be here,” Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes said. “Just because of the guy he is and he's a leader on this football team. But at the same time, when it comes to money and contracts and stuff like that, I'll never kind of force anyone to do anything, because I know they're trying to provide for their family long term.
Since Brown isn’t under contract, he cannot be fined by the team for missing training camp.
“As a teammate and as a friend, you want him to be here and be a part of this, because it's always a good atmosphere when you're down here,” Mahomes said.
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