The Kansas City Chiefs are still unsure if Orlando Brown will sign his franchise tender and show up to training camp. Brown and the Chiefs failed to reach a long-term deal before the July 15 franchise tag deadline to ensure he plays out the year on the tag and becomes a free agent in 2023 (assuming the ‘Leaders don’t set the day for him to try to work out a long-term deal again).
In the aftermath of the contract negotiations, reports surfaced that the Chiefs were frustrated with Brown not reaching a long-term deal with them. The report said a member of the Chiefs’ front office said Brown “isn’t the same guy we traded for” and “he would be a team player and work with them on a team-friendly deal.”
Patrick Mahomes had his opportunity to address the report, denying any truth that Brown is not a team player. Mahomes and Brown have a strong relationship and have only built on that since Brown arrived in Kansas City.
“I have no idea who said that. I think he’s a great team player. He’s one of the smartest football players I think I’ve ever played with,” Mahomes said Friday. “He has a high IQ, I remember even when he wasn’t at OTAs, he’s asking me questions, he’s watching film, he’s doing everything to make sure that when he walks in here, he’s ready to go.
“I think that comes with him because his dad played in the league, he’s been around sports his whole life and you ask anybody on this team that he’s one of the best guys on this team, if not the best.”
Brown allowed just four sacks and 37 pressures in his first season with the Chiefs, allowing zero sacks and just seven pressures over his final five regular season games. He earned a Pro Bowl berth in 2021 and is the only tackle in the NFL to earn a Pro Bowl berth in each of the past three seasons. Brown has been a huge catalyst for the Chiefs’ offensive line, which has emerged as one of the best in the league, so it was important to make a long-term deal.
Of course, that didn’t happen and the Chiefs are preparing for the possibility that Brown won’t show up for the start of training camp — and might miss the start of the regular season.
“It’s such a big deal that no player wants to deal with,” Mahomes said. “I’m sure the coaches and general managers and all of them don’t want to be involved either, but it’s something you want to take care of your future and take care of your family and the generations to come and it’s money who can take care of your grandchildren and their children, so you can be sure that everything is taken care of.
“But at the same time, you want to make sure you’re ready to go when it’s handled. So obviously it didn’t work out for him this offseason the way he wanted to, but when he gets here, I’m sure he’ll be ready to go and he will show what caliber of player he is again and I’m sure it will all work out at the end of the day.
