Orlando Brown Jr. Reports to Chiefs Camp

Pro Bowl left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will report to Kansas City Chiefs camp today—ending his holdout. Robert Griffin III broke the news, and multiple sources confirmed, that Brown Jr. will play this season on the Franchise Tag for a Chiefs team with Super Bowl aspirations.

BREAKING: Orlando Brown Jr. will report to Chiefs Camp today and play on the franchise tag. Sources close to Brown say he is in the best shape of his life and knows how important the first 5 days of pads are for him, the team and to HC Andy Reid. Mahomes gets his left tackle back

— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) August 1, 2022

Griffin also reported that Brown Jr. turned down a six-year extension worth 144 million dollars. The former NFL quarterback says Brown Jr’s camp was worried about a lack of guaranteed money in the final four years of the deal.

By agreeing to play on the Franchise Tag, Brown Jr. is betting on himself to succeed. Although the Chiefs could use the tag on Brown Jr. next offseason, it would cost the team 120% of the salary he’ll be earning this season. The Chiefs are already stretched thin financially so that could lead to Brown Jr. hitting unrestricted free agency in 2023.

A former standout for the Baltimore Ravens, Brown Jr. came to the Chiefs in a 2021 offseason deal that cost Kansas City multiple high-end draft picks. Along with free agent signing Joe Thuney and new draft picks Creed Humphrey and Trey Smith, Brown Jr. helped clear the way for a top-five scoring offense last season. Brown was just a third-round pick out of Oklahoma but has turned himself into a reliable left tackle despite his poor athletic testing. The rebuilt line was steady and consistent allowing only 28 sacks—tied for the third-fewest in the NFL.

Brown Jr. will once again look to keep superstar QB Patrick Mahomes clean this season. With the departure of All-pro Tyreek Hill, Mahomes will need all the support possible to Kansas City at the top of the pack. The Chiefs will look to make their fifth consecutive AFC Championship game this season, and having Brown Jr back should boost their chances.

Jamie Arnowich contributed to this report.