No matter how we fans/pundits/sportswriters view things, the fact that Orlando Brown Jr. decided to bet, all in, on himself, is a mistake. If Brown himself determined how to proceed, or his agent, Michael Portner, it was not the right decision.
Although, at this point, we are talking it to death, I will list my thoughts first:
- OB,Jr. has not signed his $16.662N Tender. He can sign, or not. The Chiefs’ organization goes from there.
- For Orlando Brown, Jr. to advance his case, he must play football. At this point, Brown can show up at camp or not. If he doesn’t play football, he doesn’t advance his cause.
- The decision that Brown, (or his agent made), was completely wrong.
- Brown can withhold his services until the Tuesday after week 10. (See item two).
- Brown’s actions have become a detriment to the Chiefs Football Team.
- Brown can only advance his case if he plays football (see items two and four).
- Brown, and his agent, made it more difficult to advance the Chiefs roster by reducing the ability to use the existing and anticipated cap monies.
- Brown, with his $16.6M cap obligation, is among the top 51 players according to tracking — Overthecap or Spotrac — Leaving only $11 or $13M for Veach to work with.
- With the decision to not accept the offer from GM Brett Veach, Brown’s view of self-value supersedes all other players and coaches of the team.
- Without pronouncing my personal animosity, Brown, and his agent chose “self” over all else.
- Brown threw his teammates under the bus, his coaches & front office personnel, aside for his own economic, selfish view.
Now, tell me where that is not true!
Orlando Brown, by performance stats, is not among the top 15 OTs in the NFL. Brown is the 9th best paid OTs in the NFL. If the stats do not match the performance, where did the Chiefs fail when they offered the following:
Via TruMedia, Brown was around the league average:
Pressure rate: 4.8% (4.6% was the NFL avg for this stat.
o 4 sacks
o 34 hurries
o 13 QB Hits
How are these the stats for a top OT? Even more? How are these stats indicative of a Top LOT? They are not. Let’s say I am off base here. Brown would have been rated as a top OT in the 2021 season, moving from starting ROT to LOT, changing team, blocking for a QB who plays completely differently than did Jackson in Baltimore… but I am not off-base? Is Brown a top OT in the NFL? I must answer, “NO.” Is Brown one of the Top LOT’s in the NFL? Same answer.
The Negotiations
OB,Jr. fouled the nest. His agent, directed by the player, fouled the nest further. If… Junior had signed for the tag, Portner’s complaint would be about the ton of money he left on the table because his “take” would be less.
Portner chose the location of his offices in the rich delta, meant to include the rich athletic talent way down “South.” If Portner truly did engineer the Brown refusal, Brown hired an idiot who claims he is not out for the money, but opened an office in the Delta area of Louisiana, a hotbed of talented athletes.
Brown and his agent, asking for an amount is a good starting point. The finishing point should be not to sh*t yourself and your team and produce a logical, reasonable solution. That didn’t happen. Brown is not a top OT (either side). He is already #9 in terms of money. Not only that, but the contract offered was very generous. Brown is never going to be someone I support in KC for a multitude of reasons. His agent? I could care less about it, but as I noted above, OB Jr. fouled the nest and that doesn’t and won’t ever sit well with me.
Here is what OB Jr. was offered (Eisen). The apparent sticking point was the guaranteed money. No Doubt. It’s a completely legit offer for an OT in today’s world.
Brown and/or his Agent, turned this proposal down. From this view of Brett Veach’s offer, he gives the Chiefs an “Out” for year three. If Brown doesn’t perform, he can be “Gone”. The big money in 2027 is also an out. As things appear, Veach did the right thing (offered too much in my view) and Brown decided to forego that $78.6M. Brown and his agent said the guaranteed money was not good enough as I was able to ascertain.
What’s Left?
I would gather that you see me as highly negative about Orlando Brown. Yes Sir, That’s the truth, but he will now only play for the Chiefs, or he will be traded, or he sits out a complete season. Only in the first case will Brown have a chance to prove that betting on himself was the right path to take. Even then, since no contract negotiations can be done until the 2023 league season, the Chiefs control the player. Depending on Browns performance in 2022, the 2023 season remains under Brett Veach’s control because the Chiefs could tag Brown a second year in a row. It could end up in the same place that 2022 ended, with a contract extension, a refusal, the tag being applied, and Brown once again has the same situation as he did the previous year.
I did not wish to have the drama unfold like this nor to write three clap-back columns about Brown in about five days, but Brown forced that to be the case for ArrowheadOne, as well. At this point, I am completely done with Brown. If he sits out of Training Camp? It proves my point. If he sits until the deadline without signing the Tag Contract? He proves my point. He then can be judged to have poor judgement, to be immature and a non-team persona.
My personal preference is to use him in 2022 and figure out a way to replace him in 2023 –> A trade would be the only viable option. If that doesn’t work and a contract cannot be negotiated, then tag Brown again.
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David Bell — ArrowheadOne