Former Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. is one of the top remaining unrestricted free agents on the market three days after the negotiating period opened. According to Charean Williams of NBC Sports, there’s a specific reason why Brown remains unsigned, and it’s not a reason unfamiliar to the 26-year-old lineman. Williams references an indication from ESPN’s Adam Schefter that “Brown’s preference to play left tackle, and the league’s view as a whole that Brown is a better right tackle, is what is holding up” any new deals for Brown. 
Brown’s expectation to play left tackle is the reason he’s not still with the team that drafted him, as well. A former third-round selection for the Ravens, Brown worked his way into a starting position at right tackle as a rookie, taking the place of a struggling James Hurst across from the team’s star left tackle Ronnie Stanley. The two excelled on the line together for the next two years, helping with the development of a young Lamar Jackson and earning Brown his first Pro Bowl.
In 2020, the Ravens saw Stanley go down with a season-ending injury. Requiring a strong blocker on the blindside, Baltimore moved Brown to the left side in Stanley’s place. He excelled in the new position for the team, earning his second straight Pro Bowl selection. With the Ravens expected to return a healthy Stanley at left tackle in 2021, Brown was to be reinstalled on the right side of the line.
Instead, Brown requested a trade, quoting his late father as a reason, saying that the senior Orlando Brown always wanted him to be a left tackle. Conveniently, left tackles also happen to make more money on average than right tackles in the NFL. Regardless, the Ravens respected Brown’s request and traded him to Kansas City in an exchange than included a package of picks. The Chiefs gave him the opportunity he desired to start at left tackle, and with the team, Brown earned his third and fourth Pro Bowl selections, making him the only offensive tackle in the league to make each of the last four Pro Bowls, and won a Super Bowl ring.
After Brown played out the last year of his rookie contract in Kansas City, the Chiefs placed the franchise tag on him as the two parties worked towards a potential long-term extension. The relationship turned a bit fraught as the team became frustrated with Brown during negotiations. This led Brown to hold out of training camp as he felt the team’s offer was too light on guarantees. The two sides continued to negotiate as time went on, and after failing to reach an agreement, the Chiefs optioned not to use a second straight tag on Brown. Brown made $16.6MM on the tag in 2022, but a franchise tag in 2023 would cost the Chiefs $19.92MM.
Despite the difference between the way Brown and the rest of the NFL sees his abilities, Brown feels his free agency is “going pretty well.” He refused to get into any specifics, but he called free agency “a weird and long process” and, once again, claimed it was going well. Will Brown find a new franchise willing to pay him the big bucks to protect their passer’s blindside? Or will Brown find himself back on the right side of another team’s offensive line? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Orlando Brown isn’t athletic enough to play RT in some schemes; LT is not feasible in most. He’s a phone booth mauler as a pass blocker.
If only there were more left handed QB’s.
He is getting bad advice.