Orlando Brown wants massive, record contract from Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs are going to have to pay up for offensive tackle Orlando Brown, as he reportedly wants a huge contract extension.

Brown is signed through the end of this season, where he’ll make over $16 million as things currently stand. However, where matters stand is not necessarily in Brown’s best interest.

The star offensive tackle — acquired from the Baltimore Ravens before the start of the 2021 NFL Draft for a first-round pick — is inarguably one of the best players at his position in football. He wants to be paid like one, as well.

$16 million is nothing to sneeze at, but playing on the franchise tag is less than ideal. Per FanSided’s Matt Verderame, in his next contract, Brown is expected to demand upwards of

$25 million per season

.

Per Verderame, Brown wants to ‘reset the market’ for offensive tackles, which would obviously make him the highest-paid player at his position, and keep Patrick Mahomes’ blind side protected for the long-term.

Can Chiefs afford to pay Orlando Brown?

Brett Veach is a salary cap genius, so anything is possible.

All of this depends on whether or not Kansas City deems Brown replaceable. Given their actions with Tyreek Hill, they did not believe a skill position player to be worth the price tag Hill was demanding.

Brown is a different story. The Chiefs gave up three picks in last year’s NFL Draft, including their first, in order to acquire Brown and hopefully sign him to an extension. Rather, they’ve instead let matters drag to this point.

The highest-paid left tackle in the league, Trent Williams, makes $23 million. Kansas City holds perhaps the most valuable asset in the entire NFL in Mahomes. He’s signed in KC likely until the end of his career, on a contract worth over a half-billion dollars. Protecting him, at all costs, has to be the highest priority for Veach.

Mahomes makes the entire team around him better. He’s the buoy which can prop up normally low-value skill position targets.

What Brown does is an ugly job, but it keeps Mahomes on the field. While $25 million seems like a stretch for now, the Chiefs may be forced to pay it when this is all said and done.