Four reasons why Chiefs must sign Orlando Brown long term
By Matt Conner
Mahomes demands it
When it comes to roster construction, the National Football League is divided into two camps: Those who have found their franchise quarterback and those who are searching for him. The dividing line is thick, and the pressure on those in the latter camp is real. Teams are sunk before a season starts if they lack an elite quarterback.
The Chiefs are blessed to know they are set for years to come with Patrick Mahomes under center. That much has been taken care of, which will keep them in the Super Bowl conversation for as long as he wants to play football. That said, the roster emphasis shifts for such lucky teams to the next level: protecting that quarterback.
Given the state of offensive line play around the league in general, it can be hard to protect your greatest asset in the NFL. The Chargers have had a tough time keeping Justin Herbert upright. The Jets would like to know if Zach Wilson is the man, but it didn’t help that he was the third-most sacked QB in the game in ’21. It speaks volumes of Joe Burrow’s talents that the Bengals went to the Super Bowl despite allowing the most sacks of any starting quarterback.
Questions already exist at right tackle, where competition will likely play out in training camp between Andrew Wylie and Darian Kinnard, and Lucas Niang, if he’s healthy. A team can’t have that many questions at the tackle positions, especially when so much of a team’s success is hinged upon quarterback play. Keeping Mahomes upright is essential, and that further locks the Chiefs into signing Brown.
Of course, it also doesn’t help if there aren’t any other options…