Chiefs, Orlando Brown Jr. unable to agree on long-term deal before franchise tag deadline, per report

Despite one final attempt before Friday’s deadline, the Kansas City Chiefs and star tackle Orlando Brown were unable to agree on a long-term deal, his agent told the NFL Network. Players hit with the franchise tag earlier this offseason have until 4 p.m. ET on Friday to hammer out an extension with their respective club or play the upcoming year on the tag. Now, Brown can earn $16.7 million on the franchise tag for 2022 if he signs it before Week 1.

This news comes after a recent report that cited Brown’s mentor, Jammal Brown, as saying the two sides were nowhere close to reaching an extension. That report also added that the big man could skip all of training camp, if not the start of the 2022 season, in the event that a deal wasn’t reached, so that could be the next shoe to drop in this saga. 

In this latest negotiation, the NFL Network adds that K.C. offered Brown a deal that would have given him the highest signing bonus and APY at his position on a six-year deal. The team also would have guaranteed his deal through next season. However, Brown’s camp decided that there wasn’t enough security over the life of the deal, which is what led to its demise. 

“We got really close,” Brown’s agent, Michael Portner, told the NFL Network. “We dealing with the Chiefs and we understand their position as well. I’m not gonna let these athletes sign a flashy contract without the substance or security there.”

Brown is specifically aiming to be compensated in line with the NFL‘s highest-paid left tackles and the Chiefs’ previous offers to Brown — leading up to this last ditch negotiation — were reportedly closer to the top right-tackle contracts. For reference, the 49ers‘ Trent Williams has the largest current LT deal, at an average of $23 million per year; while the Saints’ Ryan Ramczyk boasts the top RT number, at $19.2M per year. Two other left tackles, the Packers‘ David Bakhtiari and Texans‘ Laremy Tunsil, average more than $20M per season.

Meanwhile, Brown cannot be fined for his potential absence during camp, which fully opens July 26, because he has yet to sign the tag. 

The 26-year-old tackle was acquired from the Ravens last April in exchange for a package of draft picks, including the Chiefs’ 2021 first-rounder. He’s made three straight Pro Bowls since 2019, when he started at right tackle before taking over for the injured Ronnie Stanley in Baltimore. His 2021 Pro Bowl campaign was his first in Kansas City as Mahomes’ blind-side protector.