Orlando Brown Jr. Slims Down, Seeks Hefty Contract From Kansas City Chiefs

Off the sector, Orlando Brown Jr., is aiming for his contract to be large. On the sector, his purpose is to be rather less so.

The 6-8 left sort out, whose father was nicknamed Zeus, goals to play the 2022 NFL season at 345 kilos. Final yr Brown performed nearer to 365 whereas serving as Patrick Mahomes’ blind-side protector on the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs.

As a result of Brown — on whom the Chiefs positioned the non-exclusive franchise tag — stays unsigned, he has not attended the Chiefs’ organized crew actions (OTAs).

As an alternative he has been working towards his purpose of shedding weight with Pete Bommarito, who additionally trains Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones and former Chiefs large receiver Tyreek Hill, in Miami.

“He seems to be trim,” Michael Portner, Brown’s new agent, solely shared.

Along with changing into extra lean, Brown is specializing in enhancing his mobility, flexibility and power.

That ought to assist Brown, a three-time Professional Bowler, change into an much more elite participant, and he needs to be paid prefer it.

Portner confirmed the reporting by Armando Salguero that Brown is searching for to change into the NFL’s highest-paid NFL lineman.

“Sure, he’s on the lookout for that,” Portner stated. “He made Professional Bowl at each the proper and left facet. His play speaks for itself.”

San Francisco 49ers left sort out Trent Williams is at present the NFL’s highest-paid lineman with a $138-million deal averaging $23 million per yr, however the 26-year-old Brown is seven years youthful.

In actual fact, Brown is nearly the identical age because the 27-year-old Portner, the Delta Sports activities Group agent he formally employed final week who grew to become licensed with the Nationwide Soccer League Gamers Affiliation (NFLPA) in October of 2021. (The Covid-19 pandemic delayed Portner’s certification by a yr.)

Brown’s monetary advisor, Taylor Nowell, a fellow Mississippian like Portner, launched the 2 whereas Brown was on the lookout for a brand new agent.

Brown and Portner bonded partially as a result of Portner’s father is a nephrologist (kidney physician) within the Mississippi Delta, and Brown’s father died of diabetic ketoacidosis, and his youthful brother has diabetes.

Portner noticed firsthand the toll dialysis and kidney illness can tackle a household.

“We linked on that proper off the bat,” Portner stated.

Brown, who’s Portner’s first NFL consumer, additionally appreciated that Portner didn’t have earlier relationships with any NFL basic managers.

Portner now’s guiding Brown by his second contract negotiation, following his four-year, $3.5 million rookie cope with the Baltimore Ravens.

Realizing that Brown’s contract was expiring and that he sought a long-term deal, the Chiefs traded their first-, third- and fourth-round picks in 2021 (plus Kansas Metropolis’s fifth-round decide in 2022) for Brown previous to final season.

He ended up incomes Professional Bowl honors with the Chiefs whereas beginning all however one recreation for his new crew.

“Whenever you speak about a man that does all the things the proper method, Orlando Brown is within the class,” Chiefs basic supervisor Brett Veach stated. “The man by no means misses observe. He’s as reliable as there’s.”

Brown, although, has missed the voluntary OTAs and is more likely to miss the obligatory minicamp from June 14 to 16 until he and the Chiefs agree on phrases earlier than then.

“If we get the proper contract with the numbers we expect he ought to be paid at, we’re able to go,” Portner stated. “However we all know that it is a course of, that it’d come all the way in which all the way down to the July fifteenth date.”

If Brown and the Chiefs don’t agree on a long-term deal by that July date, he doubtless performs the 2022 season on a one-year franchise tag wage ($16.7 million) till the window opens once more to barter a deal the next offseason.

Portner declined to debate the precise monetary numbers he and Brown are searching for.

He, although, elaborated on Brown’s affinity for the Chiefs group.

“He needs to be with the Chiefs,” Portner stated. “He needs to be Patrick Mahomes’ left sort out for the remainder of his profession. They’ve a novel bond.”

Mahomes and Brown not solely have a bond, however Veach additionally in contrast their contract conditions.

Although he was not below the franchise tag, it took Mahomes till July of 2020 — or a few month earlier than preseason video games started — to signal his historic deal.

“Usually, the bigger the offers, the longer they take. We’ve been by that with Patrick and Chris (Jones),” Veach stated. “We really feel assured, although, by the beginning of the season we’ll be in a great place there.”