Chiefs place franchise tag on Orlando Brown Jr.
Orlando Brown Jr. will not be allowed to test free agency by the Kansas City Chiefs following an impressive first season with the team.
The Kansas City Chiefs are placing the franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported on Monday that the Chiefs will not allow Brown to test free agency.
The deadline to franchise tag prospective free agents, tying them to a one-year franchise tender with their current team, is on Tuesday.
Brown becomes the first known unrestricted free agent to be tagged, following a strong first season with the Chiefs.
The Chiefs gave up last year's first-round pick as part of a package to land Brown in a deal with the Baltimore Ravens.
Brown had expressed unhappiness at being deployed as a right tackle during his time in Baltimore, stating emphatically that, in his mind, he was best placed on the left.
Brown enjoys stellar first season with Chiefs
He provided evidence to back up those claims in 2021, allowing a pressure rate of 7.4 per cent. The average for left tackles was 9.4.
Stats Perform data had Brown losing just 35 of his 300 pass protection one-on-ones last season, while he came off worst on seven of the 28 stunts he faced.
That gave Brown a stunt-adjusted pass protection win rate of 88.19 per cent, sixth among tackles with at least 200 one-on-ones.
Brown's success, which saw him named to the Pro Bowl for a third straight season, and that of the Chiefs' offensive line rebuild did not inspire Kansas City to Super Bowl glory, as they suffered a shock defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game.