Report: Chiefs won't franchise tag Orlando Brown Jr.
The Kansas City Chiefs won't place the franchise tag on offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. before Tuesday's deadline, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
The Chiefs can still work out a long-term contract with Brown, but he's scheduled to hit free agency on March 13.
Brown played under the franchise tag in 2022. He started all 17 regular-season games for the Chiefs last season.
Placing the tag on Brown for a second year in a row would have cost the Chiefs just over $20 million against the cap.
The Chiefs acquired the 26-year-old Brown, along with second- and sixth-round picks, from the Baltimore Ravens in April 2021 for first-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-round picks. He made the Pro Bowl in his first season with the Chiefs.
Brown was a third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.