Chiefs place franchise tag on Brown

The Kansas City Chiefs are applying the franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown Jr., the team announced Monday.

The value of the tag is projected to be around $16.5 million, according to ESPN's Field Yates.

General manager Brett Veach said earlier in March that Brown was likely to be tagged, which would give both sides an extended window to negotiate a long-term contract.

Brown won't sign the franchise tender until he decides whether to hire an agent or represent himself, his mentor Jammal Brown told NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.

Brown, who the Chiefs acquired in a trade last offseason from the Baltimore Ravens, booked his third straight trip to the Pro Bowl in 2021 after starting 16 games as Patrick Mahomes' blind-side protector.

The 26-year-old has appeared in 64 games since entering the NFL as a third-round draft pick in 2018.