The Kansas City Chiefs will not be using their franchise tag on left tackle Orlando Brown, a source told ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, an unexpected move that opens the door for Brown to become a free agent.
Brown and the Chiefs couldn't agree on a long-term contract last offseason, so he played this past season under the franchise tag, earning about $16.6 million. The two sides have until March 13 to work out contract terms before Brown can begin negotiating with other teams.
Brown, who turns 27 in May, was acquired by Kansas City in a 2021 trade with the Baltimore Ravens.