Newest Kansas City Chiefs offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. said he will ensure quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a clean pocket.
The Kansas City Chiefs lost Super Bowl 55 because quarterback Patrick Mahomes did not have a clean pocket to stand in. After building the interior with Joe Thuney and Kyle Long, the Chiefs got Mahomes a new left tackle in former Baltimore Raven lineman Orlando Brown Jr.
During his introductory press conference with the Chiefs, Brown let everyone know that he will make sure that Mahomes will have a clean pocket.
“I look forward to keeping [Mahomes] clean,” Brown said, via ProFootballTalk. “Whether he has a broken leg, healthy leg, healthy ankle — whatever the deal is, I look forward to keeping him clean. He shouldn’t have to run around because of me, period.”
Chiefs: Orlando Brown looking forward to keeping Patrick Mahomes clean in the pocket
That is what Chiefs fans wanted and needed to hear.
Super Bowl 55 might as well have been an extended cardio session for Mahomes, as he was under nonstop pressure against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ ruthless pass rush. Well, 29 times to be exact, a Super Bowl record. That is a result of both starting offensive tackles in Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz missing the big game due to injury.
This offseason, the Chiefs opted to release Fisher and Schwartz to free up money to sign Thuney and Long. But they still had a void at offensive tackle. Luckily for them, the Ravens presented them with the perfect opportunity.
Brown had spent the entirety of his young NFL career with the Ravens as their starting right tackle. However, he had to switch to the left side after Ronnie Stanley broke his ankle. After filling in for the remainder of the season, Brown let it be known that he did not want to make the switch back to the right side of the line of scrimmage.
The Chiefs decided to jump at the chance to acquire Brown, who counts for just $3.4 million against the cap next season. Kansas City sent their 2021 first-, third- and fourth-round selections and a 2022 fifth-rounder to Baltimore in exchange for Brown, a 2021 second-rounder and a 2022 sixth-rounder.
It is not often a two-time Pro Bowl offensive tackle hits the trade block, and the Chiefs are sure happy the Ravens did so. They definitely loved to hear Brown ensure everyone that Mahomes will not have the same issues he had in the Super Bowl a couple of months ago.