NFL Network Reporter Gives Scary Update on Orlando Brown Jr. Extension Talks

With merely a few days until the NFL's deadline for an extension, things reportedly aren't looking great in KC.

It's been well known for weeks that the Kansas City Chiefs have until Friday, July 15 at 3 p.m. CST to reach a final conclusion on a contract extension for left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., and the pressure is being dialed up. A recent report on NFL Total Access by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network indicates that things aren't going too well with the deadline quickly approaching. 

In his Tuesday evening report, Garafolo dove into what he's hearing in regards to the latest developments between the Chiefs and their young left tackle. He started off by revealing that he recently spoke with former NFL offensive tackle Jammal Brown, who is working with Kansas City's Brown to help see him through this trying offseason off the field. Here's the first part of what Garafolo said: 

I spoke to Jammal Brown, the former NFL offensive tackle who is serving as a mentor for Orlando. He said that the sides are nowhere close in a deal and that they are not just going to "do a deal just to do a deal." Jammal Brown did not get into specifics, but my understanding is the offers to Orlando Brown — who wants to be paid at the top of the left tackle market, which is $23 million per year — are more in line with the top of the right tackle market."

In the second half of his report, Garafolo said that Brown could skip some or all of the Chiefs' upcoming 2022 training camp. He continued to hint that even Week 1 of the regular season isn't out of the question should a deal not be reached by this Friday's cutoff:

Here's the rub: If there's no long-term deal, I'm not expecting Orlando Brown for the start of training camp, or really any time during training camp. That is my understanding. Remember, he hasn't signed the tag so he can't be fined if he's not there. Even Week 1 is in question, so let's see how this plays out over the next couple of days. Like I said, the sides [are] far apart. I'm not expecting a deal, and that could have ripple effects for Patrick Mahomes' blind-side protector down the line.

As far as Garafolo's right tackle contract value point is concerned, there is a pretty significant discrepancy between the top of that and the top of the left tackle market. As opposed to the aforementioned $23M figure, the league's highest-paid right tackle by average annual value — Ryan Ramczyk of the New Orleans Saints — is checking in at $19.2M. Behind him, Brian O'Neill of the Minnesota Vikings has an $18.5M AAV and Lane Johnson of the Philadelphia Eagles is making $18M AAV. The expectation on Brown's end has indeed been top-of-the-market left tackle money so if Garafolo's report is indeed playing a role here, that could be a serious hangup. 

The Chiefs are clearly invested in Brown, whom they executed a pre-2021 NFL Draft swap with the Baltimore Ravens for. The former Oklahoma Sooners standout offensive lineman had an up-and-down first campaign in Kansas City, although he appeared to be catching on more towards the end of the year and developed quite the rapport with Mahomes. He went through a huge chunk of this offseason without an agent and is now operating with one who has never negotiated an NFL contract before. Brown is currently set to play on the franchise tag for this year, which was placed on him at a value of just under $16.7M for the 2022 season.

This story is being updated.