Report: Chiefs trade for offensive tackle Orlando Brown

The Kansas City Chiefs are trading the No. 31 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, among other selections, to the Baltimore Ravens in exchange for offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and draft picks in return, as first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo had the full trade details.

The Chiefs later acknowledged the trade on their official Twitter account.

In addition to Brown, the Chiefs get the Ravens’ second-round pick at No. 58 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and next year’s sixth-round pick. In addition to the Chiefs’ No. 31 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Ravens also receive Kansas City’s third-round pick at No. 94, one of their fourth-round picks and their fifth-round pick in 2022.

Here is an updated look at the Chiefs’ (now) six selections in 2021:

• Round 2: No. 58, No. 63
• Round 4: No. 144
• Round 5: No. 175, No. 181
• Round 6: No. 207

The player

Brown, 24, first entered the league as a third-round selection made by the Ravens in the 2018 NFL Draft. Due to already having former first-team All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley on the roster prior to drafting him, the Ravens moved Brown to right tackle, where he accumulated 10 starts in 2018 and 16 starts in 2019. Brown began the season at right tackle in 2020 but was moved to left tackle when Stanley suffered a severe ankle injury in Week 8.

Knowing that upon Stanley’s return for 2021, the Ravens would move him back to right tackle, Brown and his agents approached Baltimore asking permission to see a trade this offseason.

Now, having that trade been completed to Kansas City, Brown is expected to play out the final year of his rookie contract with the Chiefs before potential negotiations next offseason, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. At that point, the Chiefs will have the option of franchise tagging Brown, if they deem it necessary.

Brown can be slotted in as the Chiefs’ starting left tackle, likely next to Joe Thuney at left guard. Thuney, free-agent signee Austin Blythe and interior lineman Nick Allegretti are options at center, the returning Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and free-agent signee Kyle Long are options at right guard and Mike Remmers and second-year (and really, first-year) lineman Lucas Niang are options at right tackle. What was once a grand weakness for Kansas City in its offensive line can now be regarded as a strength.

The Oklahoma product is the son of the late Orlando “Zeus” Brown, who played in the NFL for the Ravens and Cleveland Browns for a total of 11 seasons.

Rapid reaction (via 610 Sports Radio)