NEWSLETTER
There was a point in mid-February when I was moving on from the idea of the Chicago Bears considering Orlando Brown Jr. as a free agent target to help bolster the offensive line.
That is because reports surfaced that the Kansas City Chiefs were expected to give Brown Jr. the Franchise Tag for the second consecutive year.
But perhaps that dream is alive again with NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero reporting the Chiefs are *NOT* planning to use the tag (again) on Brown. This gives the team one week of having an exclusive negotiation window with Brown. Otherwise, Brown can talk shop with any of the league’s other 31 teams one week from today when the “legal tampering” period begins.
This is quite the development:
If anyone knows what Brown can do for the Bears, it is GM Ryan Poles. Keep in mind that Poles was with the Chiefs when they made the Brown trade with Baltimore. Poles was also around when K.C. rebuilt its offensive line after losing Super Bowl LV. Given that perspective, it wouldn’t surprise me if Chicago was kicking the tires on Brown at this time next week. Brown fits a need (have you seen that offensive line?), is still young (won’t turn 27 until May), and has a strong résumé. A third-round pick in 2018, Brown has been a primary starter for each of his five years as a pro. He has also made the Pro Bowl in each of the last four years. That work history is nothing to look past.
A Brown pursuit would make so much sense for the Bears. Poaching a left tackle who was solid enough in protecting Patrick Mahomes feels like it would be a wise investment. Think about how integral Brown was to that championship win. Remember, Brown didn’t allow any sacks in a Chiefs come-from-behind win against the Philadelphia Eagles. You might recall that defense that led the world in sacks. Brown was surely showcasing his best for last. Maybe I should have pause that K.C. is letting that guy hitting the market. Or maybe I shouldn’t overthink it when something breaks well for the Bears for a change. We’ll be monitoring this situation with great interest. After all, the Chiefs could still re-sign Brown. But we’ll cross that bridge when (if?) we get to it.
