Chiefs Have Options If Orlando Brown Jr. Misses Games
Kansas City and its left tackle did not come to an extension agreement before the NFL's July 15 deadline
The Chiefs and left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. didn’t come to an agreement on a long-term contract before Friday’s NFL deadline after Kansas City franchise-tagged him earlier this offseason with the hopes of securing him on a multi-year deal.
When KC elected to place a tag on the 26 year old, Brown didn’t have an agent, and he didn’t announce the hiring of representation until June 2, leaving little time for each party to negotiate.
Add to that: The man with whom they were negotiating, Michael Portner, has never executed an NFL contract.
Prior to Friday’s news, reports seemed to indicate that if a deal wasn’t reached, Brown might not only miss training camp but potentially games in 2022 as well.
Deadlines often lead to deals, but that wasn’t the case this time between Brown, Portner and the Chiefs, and with reporting out there that Brown could hold out for the start of the season, it seems smart to now look at the Chiefs’ options.
Whom could shift into Brown’s spot? Whom could they sign?
The answer isn’t simple, considering the Chiefs also are likely to hold a battle for the right-tackle position during training camp, and what’s more, none of those competing in that competition are particularly great fits for the left side.
In-house options
Geron Christian
Two weeks after the Chiefs placed the tag on Brown, they added Christian, a player with substantial experience at left tackle, to a veteran-minimum contract.
It makes you wonder if they wanted to ensure a backup plan.
We probably haven’t talked enough about Christian’s value to the roster. He’s a swing tackle with starter experience (eight games last year at left tackle for the Texans), which is more than any of the in-house options.
Slotting in Christian for however long Brown is out is Kansas City’s least invasive and probably most logical move. The remainder of its offensive linee stays intact, and Christian is a capable starter.
Joe Thuney
Thuney is one of the most versatile offensive lineman in football and has played admirably at left tackle — especially in a pinch last year in the Chiefs’ regular-season game at the Bengals.
Moving Thuney into Brown’s spot, however, would force shuffling up front and take away some of the interior O-line continuity this team found last year.
Then again, that continuity is being disrupted should Brown be absent.
Prince Tega Wanogho
Wanogho was a sixth-round draft pick for the Eagles in 2020, but he only fell that far because of injury concerns. His athleticism and talent is real, but the reliability is always a question.
The Chiefs have, historically, swung big on this kind of talent with their 90-man roster practice squad and at times with the bottom of the 53-man roster (see Justyn Ross). It’s a good practice, keep talented football players around, but it remains to be seen if Wanogho’s development is far enough along to trust him with the responsibility of protecting the best quarterback in the world.
Free agency
Eric Fisher
If Fisher wants to return to the organization and city where he spent the first eight seasons of his career, a long-term holdout for Brown could bring forth a reunion after the Chiefs released Fisher last season after an Achilles injury forced him to miss Super Bowl LV.
Fisher had an up-and-down 2021 season with the Colts, but he’s further removed from that injury and could be a fit back in KC. His familiarity with the offense and organization would be valuable.
I don’t think you make this move, however, unless you feel you need a season-long addition to your offensive line.
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Regardless of OB's threats to leave his friend Patrick Mahomes in a bad spot, Brown isn't in a good place to threaten the Chiefs with a holdout. He might think he's playing hardball with his threats. You wanna see hardball? Check this out.
We could eat the $16M this year and still have almost that in cap space. Brown won't be able to come into the Chiefs building, if they don't want him to. If he doesn't play this year, we can start over with the first franchise tag again next season. If he signs the tag and plays well this year, we can tag him again, for less than he wanted this year. He's basically in contract years for the next 3 years, if we choose. If he plays well, we can negotiate, IF WE CHOOSE. If he doesn't play well, his value goes down across the league...and we still own him, if we want to trade him, we can do that too .an. If we want to watch him sweat, we can do that. Mr Brown is in a pickle.
I'm worried that Brown and his agent are truly stubborn enough to sit out even if it doesn't make much financial sense for them. I would love to see KC look at Fischer or Reiff if the OBJ deal can't get done. But, most of all, I hope KC doesn't give him the money he is (reportedly) looking for by making him the top paid tackle in the league. He won't get it anywhere else so I'm hopeful KC won't do it here.