Orlando Brown Jr.‘s career has gone through significant changes over the past year and change, resulting in the former third-round pick’s value skyrocketing. The veteran tackle took a step toward maximizing that value Thursday.
The Chiefs left tackle hired an agent, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. Brown will go with Michael Portner of the Delta Sports Group. Although several players have made the decision to go without agents in recent years, most still do. This represents a key step for Brown, who is engaged in a pivotal negotiation with the Chiefs. The parties have begun the talks, and Brown’s new agent will run point from here.
Brown going with Portner is an interesting decision, with Garafolo adding the 26-year-old O-lineman sought an agent without relationships with NFL GMs (Twitter link). Brown is DSG’s first NFL client. That will certainly add intrigue to his Chiefs extension discussions.
Kansas City used its franchise tag on Brown in March, cuffing the fifth-year blocker with a $16.7MM salary. The team has until July 15 to sign Brown to a long-term extension. Absent a deal by then, Brown will play the 2022 season on his franchise tender — one he has not yet signed.
Formerly the Ravens’ right tackle starter, Brown replaced an injured Ronnie Stanley on the left side to close out the 2020 season. From there, Brown no longer wanted to play right tackle. This led to the Chiefs sending the Ravens a quality trade package for the contract-year lineman. Kansas City tabled extension talks with Brown until 2022, and he is now aiming to be the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman.
Three left tackles — Trent Williams, David Bakhtiari and Laremy Tunsil — earn $20MM per year. They are the NFL’s only $20MM-AAV O-linemen. Brown becoming the fourth seems likely. The Chiefs giving up a first-round pick in last year’s trade points to an extension coming to pass, and the team only has one other blocker (Joe Thuney) signed to a notable veteran contract. That clears a space for Brown, but his aspirations may complicate these negotiations.
Let him play out this year and let him go. He’s not worth what he’s asking. Draft a young stud LT next year and sign a veteran LT as well.
You make it sound so easy…
I make it sound so easy? Where did I lose you? I can try to explain it better if it’s too complicated for you.
Lol….the whole reason you got him was because Patty kept getting his blindside rocked. He comes to KC and makes a third straight pro bowl team and grades out as one of the best LTs in the game.
If you think a dude straight out of college (and it would be a late first round since it’s KC…not going to be a sure fire stud LT) is going to come in and duplicate that….good luck. Patty had better watch his blindside again cause he’s going to take another beating.
Because the Chiefs couldn’t package some picks to move up for a stud LT if they wanted to?
Orlando is NOT the best LT in the NFL in anyones eyes other than his own.
If it was as easy as you seem to make it out to be, why did they trade the draft capital for him knowing he was gonna demand a contract in the near term? The whole reason he was traded was to play left tackle so he could command a larger contract. Knowing all of this, KC still made the trade! Because your strategy isn’t viable and is far from a guarantee. No, he’s not a top 5 LT in the league, but if they don’t pay him like one, someone else will.
Exactly – LET someone else overpay him and instead the Chiefs should draft a LT and sign a veteran LT for 1 or 2 years. It’s not REALLY that hard.
Agreed, he is not ranked very high in PFF’s list of LTs
At some point KC has to let their GM earn his paycheck. It was an extremely questionable trade. Simply throwing top money at him Bcs they made the trade is not smart business. Kinda like the way KC blindly threw huge money at Thuney.. if your executives are unable to either draft or find competent talent without painfully overpaying…find new executives.