Instant-Reaction: Chiefs Make Blockbuster Trade for Ravens Tackle Orlando Brown Jr.

The Arrowhead Report crew reacts to Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach's blockbuster pre-draft move for Orlando Brown Jr.

Just days before the NFL Draft, Kansas City Chiefs general manager Brett Veach made a blockbuster move for tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to fill the vacancy at left tackle. The Arrowhead Report Roundtable is back to discuss the biggest move of the offseason (so far).

Joshua Brisco: The Chiefs added a Pro Bowl-caliber tackle who, at age 24, is around the same age as some of this year's top draft prospects. That's great. They paid a palatable price in terms of draft picks, also gaining another second-round pick for the 2021 draft. That's good. They're also about to owe Brown a tremendous amount of money. That's not as wonderful, but not necessarily terrible. Brown will reportedly play out the last year of his rookie deal this year before needing to be extended and/or franchise-tagged in 2022. That negotiation will rival the NFL's highest-paid tackles, but if Brown proves his worth in 2021, that sticker-shock will go away relatively quickly.

Tucker Franklin: While there are many things I like about the move, there are other aspects I'm not too keen on. First, I'll start with the good. Brown is a proven commodity. In his first three years in the NFL, he's made it to two Pro Bowls. Pro Football Reference calls him an "elite" pass protector and he grades out as a top-25 tackle in the league last year. Another component I like is the compensation. Kansas City essentially gave up a second-round selection to fill their largest vacancy with a Pro-Bowl talent. That is A-OK with me. 

On the downside, Brown is in the final year of his rookie contract, meaning a big payday is looming. While he is a candidate for the franchise tag next season, it could be beneficial to give him a contract that makes him happy and is structured in the Chiefs' favor. Lastly, and maybe most importantly, I'm not sure how much of a scheme fit he is. Brown played for a run-heavy Baltimore Ravens team and played on the right side for the majority of his career. He will not only be tasked with learning a new, pass-heavy scheme but Brown will also be switching from right tackle to left. Overall, this move makes sense and makes the Chiefs better while filling a huge hole heading into the draft. Brett Veach does it again.

Jordan Foote: I don’t love this move for the Chiefs, but I do like it quite a bit. Orlando Brown isn’t a hand-in-glove fit in the scheme and will possibly have leverage during negotiations a year from now. With that said, the Chiefs took their biggest weakness and turned it into a strength. The offensive line rebuild is nearly complete — at least for this offseason. Good stuff from Brett Veach.

Conner Christopherson: I get it. I get why the Chiefs traded for Orlando Brown. As the pre-draft process has gone along, I found myself becoming more and more concerned with the tackle prospects the Chiefs could realistically take at pick No. 31. Full of short-armed projects, it was not looking good for the Chiefs to get an immediate day-one starter at their pick. Trading for Brown makes sense. I still have concerns. Paying Brown and adding his contract to the other deals the Chiefs have on the books will require cap finessing for sure. Also, I'm concerned about his fit in the Chiefs offense that is wildly different from the Ravens. All in all, considering the draft capital given up, it's hard to hate this move too much. Protect the franchise. 

Mark Van Sickle: Brett Veach does it again! Trading to get Orlando Brown, who would be a better left tackle than anyone they pick at No. 31 in 2021, makes a ton of sense. The Chiefs may very well have new starters across the entire offensive line from Brown to Joe Thuney to Austin Blythe to Kyle Long to Lucas Niang... it will be a lot of new faces protecting Patrick Mahomes. Plus the added depth with Mike Remmers and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif coming back, the Chiefs are in a good spot heading into the draft. While the dreams of getting a Rashod Bateman or Tevin Jenkins are over, the Chiefs made a fantastic move that will help the offense be better from day one. They will begin the draft on Friday with picks 58 and 63 in the second round and starting left tackle already on the roster. This was a good day for Chiefs Kingdom! 

Sam Hays: The Chiefs bringing in Orlando Brown is an earth-shattering move. Brown has gone to the Pro Bowl in both of the last two seasons and he is only three seasons into his NFL career and he’s only 24, turning 25 in nine days. Brown will take over the left tackle spot for the Chiefs for at least the 2021 season, hopefully beyond, and you have to expect him to kill it, especially next to Joe Thuney. The offensive line is set, no more mishaps like Super Bowl LV.

Taylor Witt: There was only one way to move on quickly from the sour taste that Super Bowl LV left with Chiefs fans, and that was to chew up and spit out the old offensive line at every position. Adding Joe Thuney and Kyle Long as the appetizers before the main course of Orlando Brown Jr., the Chiefs offense is going to feast next year behind a beefy line and their always-delicious cast of skill players. Head chef Patrick Mahomes has to be licking his chops.

Joe Andrews: Brett Veach took a gamble with this one, but it seems OK. This move caps off the rebuild of the offensive line, and it’ll likely cost the Chiefs a ton of money. At the same time, there aren’t many day-one tackles that’ll be worth a pick by the time the Chiefs’ original first-round pick comes around. This one should be a major W.

We would like to inform our readers that Jacob Harris is laughing maniacally and we are unable to calm him down enough to write a roundtable blurb.

Read More: Kansas City Chiefs Trade for Baltimore Ravens Tackle Orlando Brown