Chiefs trending towards using franchise tag on Orlando Brown

Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said it is “likely” the team uses the franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown Jr.

The Kansas City Chiefs have some high-profile players hitting free agency this offseason. Safety Tyrann Mathieu is the big name on the defensive side of the ball who needs a new contract. On the offensive side of the ball, there is left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., who the team traded for just last season.

When speaking at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, Ind. on Tuesday, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach said that his goal is to sign Brown to a long-term deal, but said it was “likely” the team uses the franchise tag on him.

Chiefs: Brett Veach says franchise tag ‘likely’ for Orlando Brown

The 2022 league year officially begins on March 16 at 4:00 p.m. ET, but Veach has until March 8 to get a deal done with Brown without using the franchise tag. If no progress is made prior to 4:00 p.m. ET on March 8, then Veach can use the tag to negotiate a long-term deal until July.

According to Spotrac, a franchise tag for will come in at $16.5 million, since he is an offensive lineman.

Veach and the Chiefs made it a priority to fix their offensive line considering their skeleton crew was demolished by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense in Super Bowl 55. The team moved on from left tackle Eric Fisher and replaced him with Brown, who was on the Baltimore Ravens.

The full trade saw the Chiefs acquire Brown, a 2021 second-round pick and a 2022 sixth-round pick in exchange for a 2021 first-round pick, a 2021 third-rounder, a 2021 fourth-round selection and a 2022 fifth-round pick.

Brown was penalized seven times and allowed four sacks in 1,127 offensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus.

Veach has a strategy planned out to ensure that Brown is under contract for 2022, and potentially beyond.