The Kansas City Chiefs have decided who they will use their franchise tag on.
The Chiefs are placing the franchise tag on Pro Bowl starting left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter on Monday, March 7.
Kansas City Chiefs are franchise tagging OT Orlando Brown, per league sources. Brown becomes the first free-agent-to-be this off-season known to be getting the franchise tag.
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The deadline to use the franchise tag is Tuesday, March 8 at 4 p.m. ET. While the official amount is not finalized, tagging Brown is expected to cost Kansas City $16.5 million, according to ESPN’s Field Yates.
Tagging Brown falls in line with Chiefs general manager Brett Veach saying on March 1 at the NFL Scouting Combine that the organization will “likely” tag Brown. Brown has solidified a part of the offensive line that is pivotal when it comes to keeping quarterback Patrick Mahomes upright in the pocket and healthy. Brown did his duties well enough during his first season in Kansas City to earn a Pro Bowl nod.
Tagging Brown will not only keep him in Kansas City for the 2022 season, but it also gives the Chiefs’ front office time to come to terms on a multi-year extension with the veteran offensive tackle. That in turn could lower Brown’s cap number for the 2022 season and solidify Mahomes’ blind side for multiple years.
What Tagging Brown Means for Mathieu
Brown was one of two players that the Chiefs were likely going to use the tag on this offseason. The other was Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu.
Now that Brown has been tagged, Mathieu will be able to freely test the open market when free agency begins on March 16. That’s bad news for Kansas City, as Mathieu might receive contract offers from other teams that are too big for the Chiefs to match.
Mathieu’s cryptic social media post over the weekend hinted at him not being tagged by the Chiefs, although Veach’s statement at the Combine told us all we needed to know.
“Replacing me is easy. Getting them to do the same thing I did is damn near impossible,” Mathieu wrote on March 5.
Twitter Reacts to Chiefs Tagging Brown
Twitter users reacted to the Chiefs opting to tag Brown over Mathieu.
“Key takeaway from the Brown franchise tag for the rest of FA: Very likely that Tyrann Mathieu and Charvarius Ward are in different jerseys next season,” one Twitter user wrote.
Key takeaway from the Brown franchise tag for the rest of FA:
Very likely that Tyrann Mathieu and Charvarius Ward are in different jerseys next season.
“Not expecting Washington to be huge players in free agent market but … Tyrann Mathieu?” another user wrote.
Not expecting Washington to be huge players in free agent market but … Tyrann Mathieu?
“Was only a matter of time. Looking at what Orlando Brown did for the offensive line there was no way they were going to let a potential franchise left tackle go,” Marissa Myers of The Wrightway Sports Network wrote.
“1) No surprise. KC didn’t give up a 1st-rounder for a 1-year rental. 2) Good for Orlando Brown. He went from a 3rd-rounder to a franchise LT that’ll be paid big money. 3) Ravens & KC made a fair trade. Love Odafe Oweh. Tie. 4) EDC never properly replaced Brown. Needs to now,” former Baltimore Ravens editor Sarah Ellison wrote.
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Chiefs Make Final Decision on Orlando Brown Jr.’s Future in KC: Report