Rumors on Monday around the league suggest left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will report to Chiefs training camp.
What was once rumored to be a potential holdout lasting through all of training camp and perhaps into the Kansas City Chiefs‘ regular season has been shortened significantly with word that left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. will report to the team’s practice on Monday.
Rumors swirling around the NFL on Monday say that Brown is finished with his holdout and will be back at St. Joseph with the rest of his teammates soon enough after signing the franchise tag that will pay him $16.6 million this year.
According to NFL reporter Tom Pelissero, Brown’s agent stated, “He wanted to be there for padded practice because that’s when leaders are developed.” Monday is the first day for the Chiefs to practice in full gear since last season.
Brown decided to hold out in the first place after he and the team were unable to reach an agreement on a long-term contract extension that would allow him to reset the tackle market. Brown is still young with plenty of prime years in front of him and three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances to his credit. At the same time, despite getting better as the season wore on, the difference between Brown and a player like Trent Williams is quite clear and the Chiefs were reportedly unwilling to pay elite money for a very good player.
With Brown back in the fold, the Chiefs will have everyone back for plenty of camp and the preseason games in which new faces on offense can come together to build as much chemistry as they can before the team opens the season at Arizona on September 11.