Tag: Orlando Brown

Chiefs LT Orlando Brown Jr. seeking improvement as he faces his former team

The excitement from #Chiefs LT Orlando Brown Jr. to face the #Ravens is palpable, but he knows he’s got to play better in Week 2 | from @TheJohnDillon

When the Kansas City Chiefs acquired Orlando Brown Jr. in a trade with Baltimore this offseason, their offensive identity shifted drastically. Brown’s addition to an already overhauled offensive line was further proof of the Chiefs’ commitment to keeping their franchise quarterback Patrick Mahomes protected in the passing game, after adding veteran left guard Joe Thuney to shore up the interior.

Dividends on their investment are expected to be paid rapidly, but a less than perfect performance against the Browns in Week 1 has tempered expectations among some of the Kansas City faithful. Though Mahomes was generally kept clean in the matchup, he took some hits that were less than ideal. It seems the highly-touted unit still has some development in store before they are truly the strength they were billed as in preseason.

For Brown’s part, he didn’t mince words when talking to reporters ahead of  Wednesday’s practice about his performance.

“Flat out, man, I’ve got to play better,” Brown said. “I mean, I’m here to dominate no matter who I’m going against or whatever the circumstance is. You know, I’ve got to play better, and I will.”

Brown knows that anything less than exemplary performances could put the team’s entire season in jeopardy, as he protects Mahomes’ blind side, where the most punishing hits are likely to come from. He is still developing a working relationship with his quarterback that will lead to better protection in the coming weeks.

“Me and Pat [Patrick Mahomes] are always going to communicate, making sure me and him are on the same page, the offensive line is always on the same page and just making sure he’s as comfortable as possible in the heat of the moment,” He explained. “You know, as a quarterback, it can be tough when you’ve got people in your face or you’re having to throw off of different spots and all of those different things. Obviously, he’s more than capable of that, but that’s why I’m here. That’s why some of us are here, these new guys are here so he’s a lot more comfortable of just throwing off of one spot specifically, and we’re working on a ton of different things. We’re working and figuring things out, but like I said, I’ve just got to play better, flat out.”

Sunday’s game against Baltimore will be a great opportunity for Brown’s first breakout game in a Chiefs uniform, as he was born in the Charm City, and was drafted by the Ravens in 2018. He seemed particularly enthusiastic when asked about the feeling of playing in a place where he has so much personal history, but said the rush of the NFL game is more than enough stimulation for him on a weekly basis.

“(I’m) super excited, man,” Brown said. “Obviously, just period with it being in the NFL, but obviously with the circumstances being what it is, me growing up there and growing up around that franchise, I’m super excited to get out there and get back home.”

It’s not often that a player has so much pulled in their direction ahead of a Week 2 matchup, but Brown seems primed for a big game against his former team. With a great game in protection and paving the way for the ground game, Brown could become the anchor on a Chiefs’ offensive line that still has strides to make the team a championship contender.

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How did former Sooners perform in week 1 of the NFL season

Take a look at how each former Sooner performed in week one of the NFL season.

The first week of the NFL season is now in the books and it’s time to take a look at how former Oklahoma Sooners performed in their opening week matchups.

The week was highlighted by outstanding performances from the trio of former Sooners starting at quarterback. Kyler Murray, Jalen Hurts, and Baker Mayfield combined for 874 yards passing, and eight total touchdowns. Though Mayfield didn’t throw a touchdown pass, he had the highest passing yardage total and completion percentage in week one.

Not to be outdone by the quarterbacks, Sterling Shepard had one of his best games as a pro for the New York Giants and Joe Mixon helped lead the Cincinnati Bengals to an overtime win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Take a look at how each of the former Sooners in the NFL performed in week one.

Why you could see a very different Chiefs offense in the 2021 NFL season

Kansas City’s offensive line fell apart in Super Bowl LV. Here’s why that disaster has given Andy Reid the room for a major philosophical rebuild.

We all remember what happened to the Chiefs’ patchwork offensive line in Super Bowl LV — the Buccaneers’ defense pretty much killed it, pressuring Patrick Mahomes on 31 of his 56 dropbacks (per Pro Football Focus), and forcing Mahomes into some ugly numbers under pressure — 9 of 26 for 78 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception in Tampa Bay’s 31-9 win. After the season was over, the Chiefs released offensive tackles Eric Fisher and Mitchell Schwartz, both of whom were not able to play in the big game.

In late April, just before the draft, the Chiefs traded their 2021 first-round pick (No. 31 overall), their 2021 third-round pick (No. 94), their 2021 fourth-round pick (No. 136), and a 2022 fifth-round pick to the Ravens in exchange for offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr., Baltimore’s 2021 second-round pick (No. 58 overall), and a 2022 sixth-round pick. The move to get Brown solidifies the left tackle spot, and the second-round pick of Oklahoma center Creed Humphrey in the 2021 draft put some more power in that front five.

Why the Chiefs may have hit the jackpot in the Orlando Brown trade

Geoff Schwartz, former NFL offensive lineman and brother of Mitchell Schwartz, pointed this out from the Chiefs’ training camp video:

Mitchell Schwartz was also impressed.

If the Chiefs are about to move away a bit from inside and outside zone to more of a power/counter/trap/pull man-on-man series of blocking schemes, they couldn’t have done much better from a personnel perspective than Brown and Humphrey. Last season, per Sports Info Solutions, the Ravens ran more straight-up man-on-man stuff, and power blocking with pulling guards, than any other NFL team, and it wasn’t particularly close — 363 snaps.. The Patriots ranked second with 256 overall. In the run game on those concepts, Baltimore led the league with 313 rushing attempts for a league-leading 1,899 yards, a league-leading 862 yards after contact, a league-leading 105 first downs, and a league-leading 15 touchdowns.

The Chiefs weren’t even in the ballpark — they had 102 rushing attempts on such concepts for 497 yards, 201 yards after contact, 31 first downs, and three touchdowns. Obviously, Baltimore’s run game is more complex, and far more of a staple than Kansas City’s, but you can’t blame Andy Reid for wanting to flip the script, if that’s the idea.

In addition, as he showed in this rep against Cleveland edge-rusher Myles Garrett last season, Brown (no. 78) has quite enough practice in protecting his mobile quarterback from pressure over an extended period of time. Blocking for Lamar Jackson will tend to make that happen.

As for Humphrey, selected out of Oklahoma with the 63rd overall pick, he was quite the bully in power schemes. From 2018 through 2020, again per SiS, the Sooners ran man of some sort on 48% of their rushes, and Humphrey was responsible for blowing things up to his gap to the tune of 6.9 yards per carry.

Interestingly enough, Brown and Humphrey were teammates at Oklahoma, as well — Humphrey was redshirting for the Sooners in 2017, which was Brown’s last season there before the Ravens selected him in the third round of the 2018 draft.

The connection appears to be strong here.

Brown, new left guard Joe Thuney, and Humphrey all have the athletic attributes and understanding to present more power to opposing defensive lines. Add in tackle Lucas Niang, a second-year third-rounder who is highly regarded in the organization, and you have the makings of a front five capable of presenting as much power as necessary to opposing defenses.

What might this look like? We got a bit of a preview last season — the Chiefs signed veteran left guard Kelechi Osemele last July, and when healthy, Osemele showed that he was more than happy to go old-school and take people to the woodshed. Running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire, who gained 138 yards and scored a touchdown on 25 carries against the Texans in the 2020 season opener, seemed pretty happy about the whole thing. Knee issues limited Osemele to just five games last season, but he showed a particular paradigm that the Chiefs appear to be extending for the 2021 season. Not that the Chiefs will entirely scrap their zone concepts, but don’t be surprised if Reid and his staff want to give defenses that much more to think about as his team tries to get to the Super Bowl for the third straight season.

How Kelechi Osemele expands and perfects the Chiefs’ impossible offense

Washington reportedly showed interest in former Baltimore OT Orlando Brown

In most mock drafts, you’ll see the Washington Football Team getting an offensive tackle in the first or second round. Washington needs to

In most mock drafts, you’ll see the Washington Football Team selecting an offensive tackle in the first or second round of the 2021 NFL draft. Washington needs to address the left tackle position in 2021, so picking one early in the draft makes sense.

According to John Keim of ESPN, Washington reportedly engaged with the Baltimore Ravens about a potential trade for offensive tackle Orlando Brown before his trade to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It’s uncertain how serious Washington was about Brown as the team quickly realized the cost for the 24-year-old Brown was more than it was willing to pay. In addition to giving up a first-round pick, the Football Team would’ve needed to sign Brown to a lucrative long-term deal, likely commensurate to some of the top offensive tackles in the league.

That wasn’t happening in Washington.

It was smart for the WFT to inquire about Brown. He’s a talented player — and young. However, giving up a first-round wasn’t going to happen for anything other than a proven quarterback this year.

Now, it’s time to turn back to the NFL draft where Washington has done plenty of homework on all of the top offensive tackle prospects. If the team doesn’t go with an offensive lineman in the first round, it could choose to address the position with a high-ceiling player like Spencer Brown of Northern Iowa in the second or third round.

At 6-foot-8, 311 pounds, Brown is massive and is a rare athlete for a man of his size. He also possesses the requisite arm length at offensive tackle.

One thing is certain, Washington will acquire an offensive tackle at some point in the 2021 NFL draft.

The Vikings would probably have had to give up a lot to get Orlando Brown

Based on what the Kansas City Chiefs had to give up to land Orland Brown, the Minnesota Vikings should probably not have made that deal.

Minnesota has shored up holes in its team this offseason, most of which were on the defense. The Vikings fixed the interior defensive line spots and even added a cornerback. Minnesota also signed a safety who can start alongside Harrison Smith back deep.

But for the Vikings, offensive line remains a weak spot. Minnesota released Riley Reiff this offseason. The Vikings re-signed Dakota Dozier, the starting guard from 2020, but the team may want to go in a different direction in 2021.

Some Vikings fans hoped that their team would trade for Orlando Brown, a former Ravens offensive lineman who requested a trade over his desire to play left tackle. It just so happened that Minnesota has an opening at left tackle this offseason, due to Reiff’s departure.

Brown ended up being acquired by the Chiefs.  Based on what Kansas City gave up, it would have been hard for Minnesota to land Brown.

The Chiefs gave up first-round, third-round and fourth-round picks in the 2021 NFL draft, along with a fifth-round draft pick in 2022. That’s quite the haul, and it’s hard to rationalize the Vikings doing it.

Minnesota has some glaring weaknesses outside of left tackle. The team struggled to protect the quarterback on the interior offensive line in 2020. It’d be great for Mason Cole to slot in as a starter and do well in that spot, but Cole may just be depth. The defensive end position opposite Danielle Hunter could also use an upgrade.

The Vikings also need to make sure the skill positions on offense improve, whether that’s adding a good wide receiver three or another good receiving tight end. It’s easy to chalk up another stellar year where Kirk Cousins, Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook all either match or improve their production levels from this past season, but that’s not a given.

Of course, success in the NFL draft isn’t a given, either. The Vikings need to hit on some picks in the next couple of seasons to have any shot at a deep postseason run. In that case, it helps to have a lot of picks, so Brown’s trade haul seems like too much to give up for Minnesota. He could command a large deal in 2022 and the Vikings need picks to solve other problem areas.

Chiefs-Ravens trade hints at why Chargers need to take tackle in Round 1

Chargers general manager Tom Telesco could be left with slim pickings.

The Chiefs had a void to fill at left tackle after parting ways with Eric Fisher last month. Kansas City made their move to address the position, trading for Orlando Brown Jr. with the Ravens on Friday.

The Chiefs had been pegged as a team that could take a tackle in the back end of the first-round in this year’s draft.

However, the aggressiveness to trade for the Pro Bowler could possibly indicate that the team believes there will be a run on tackles before then and the majority of the top options will be off the board by the time they’re on the clock at No. 31 overall.

This is significant to a team like Los Angeles who many have slotted to select a tackle in Round 1, but other positions like cornerback and wide receiver have also been mocked to them, with their lineman coming in Round 2.

Sitting with the No. 13 overall pick, the team is in a prime position to possibly trade up for Penei Sewell or Rashawn Slater. Or they could stand pat and take Virginia Tech’s Christian Darrisaw, Texas’ Samuel Cosmi or Oklahoma State’s Teven Jenkins.

If L.A. takes another position and waits until the second-round to draft one, they’re likely left with Michigan’s Jalen Mayfield, Northern Iowa’s Spencer Brown, BYU’s Brady Christensen and Cincinnati’s James Hudson – all of whom likely need a year to sit before starting.

The league has been put on notice that high-end tackles don’t grow on tress, especially for the Chargers who have banked on mid- late-round tackles.

However, the fact that none of them have panned out should be a learning lesson to general manager Tom Telesco that he should not wait to pull the trigger, especially when you need to put quarterback Justin Herbert in position for long-term success.

Like I’ve said throughout this process, Los Angeles needs to draft the team’s left tackle of the future with their first pick now that they have their franchise signal-caller, even if that means being aggressive to get them, just like Kansas City.

Breaking down the Orlando Brown trade between the Chiefs and Ravens

Orlando Brown is the biggest winner of this trade.

The Chiefs acquired their left tackle of the future when they traded their first-round pick in the upcoming NFL Draft to the Ravens for the services of Orlando Brown. Brown has wanted to play left tackle long term to honor his late father, Orlando Brown Sr. who played for the Ravens in the late-90s and early-2000s.

With Brown being adamant about playing left tackle, the Ravens were put in to a tough spot. They just gave All-Pro tackle Ronnie Stanley a five-year, $112 million contract prior to the start of the 2020 season. They essentially had to get rid of him now before he walked in free agency after the season.

The Chiefs pounced on the situation and made their football way better with the acquisition of Brown. Now Brown gets his chance to be a long-term left tackle for one of the best teams in the league, and the Ravens got good enough draft picks in return for him.

Ravens trade OT Orlando Brown Jr. to Chiefs, swap multiple draft picks

The Baltimore Ravens are trading offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs, with both teams swapping multiple draft picks

Less than a week away from the 2021 NFL draft, we have another blockbuster deal involving a first-round selection.

This one also involves one of the league’s best players at a premium position, as the Baltimore Ravens are sending offensive tackle Orlando Brown Jr. to the Kansas City Chiefs, with both teams swapping a long list of draft selections.

The Ravens get four picks in total in return for Brown, including the Chiefs’ first-round pick in this year’s draft (No. 31 overall). Along with Brown, the Chiefs are getting a pair of picks from Baltimore, including their second-round pick this year (No. 58 overall).

After watching Patrick Mahomes run for his life in a crushing Super Bowl loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Chiefs have obviously made improving their offensive line a priority this offseason.

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Former Oklahoma offensive lineman Orlando Brown traded to Kansas City Chiefs

Former Oklahoma offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr. has been dealt to the Kansas City Chiefs in a blockbuster trade on Friday.

A former Sooner doing great things in the NFL is on the move as offensive lineman Orlando Brown Jr. was dealt from the Baltimore Ravens to the Kansas City Chiefs on Friday, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Brown was a star with Oklahoma being named the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in both 2016 and 2017 as well as an unanimous All-American in 2017. He was then selected in the 2018 NFL draft by the Ravens with the 83rd overall pick in the third round and immediately flourished.

After a solid rookie season where he made ten starts, he quickly became one of the best offensive tackles in the entire league going to the Pro Bowl in each of the past two seasons. But, this offseason, it became clear both Brown and Baltimore were likely going to part ways after he demanded a trade due to wanting to be used as a left tackle only.

Now, his wish has been granted and he will head to a phenomenal situation in Kansas City with the two-time defending AFC champions and one of the very best quarterbacks in the league in Patrick Mahomes.

Report: Colts not involved in trade talks for OT Orlando Brown

Colts aren’t in on Orlando Brown trade talks.

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https://twitter.com/jimayello/status/1370081261134446597

There are reportedly six teams in trade talks with the Baltimore Ravens for offensive tackle Orlando Brown, but the Indianapolis Colts are not one of them, per Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star.

This doesn’t come as a surprise even though the Colts have a massive need to find a new left tackle after the retirement of Anthony Castonzo. Brown’s price, both in draft picks and eventual salary, are likely to keep the Colts from making a big trade like this.

The Colts already give up their 2021 third-round pick and a conditional 2022 second-round pick in order to get quarterback Carson Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles. We know how much GM Chris Ballard loves those draft picks, so giving up more for Brown doesn’t appear to be in the cards.

Brown has been the right tackle for the Ravens since he was selected in the third round of the 2018 NFL draft. He’s set to be a free agent following the 2021 season, so whichever team trades for him will certainly want to sign him to an extension.

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