The Kansas City Chiefs and left tackle Orlando Brown couldn't come to terms on a long-term agreement by the July 15 deadline for franchise-tagged players. With Brown not signing his tender, he could skip training camp without fines.
Andy Reid said Friday he wasn't sure if Brown would report to camp.
"I don't know that. I don't know whether he's going to be here or not," Reid said. "If he's here, great. And if he's not, we move on. That's how we've done it in the past. This isn't the first time I've been through something like this. My thing is, we just go. Whoever the next guy is that's gonna step in there -- we know Joe Thuney can do it in a heartbeat -- so, if we need to go in that direction, we can go in that direction. We've got some new faces in there that can also do it."
Chiefs veterans are scheduled to report to camp on July 26. Rookies and quarterbacks reported Friday.
Reid's comment on Thuney, a guard, kicking out to left tackle to fill Brown's shoes underscored the confidence the Chiefs have if the incumbent decides not to report. Obviously, the Chiefs' O-line would be hurt, but not crippled by an extended absence from Brown.
Asked if he was surprised a deal wasn't done by the deadline, Reid responded:
"Listen, things happen. That's the name of this game where we are today. It's probably been that way for a number of years. Go back to Babe Ruth moving to the Yankees from the Red Sox. Great player, this type of thing in professional sports goes on. You work through it, you work through it as a player, you work through it as a team and move forward."
Patrick Mahomes didn't sound frustrated that his left tackle might not be around for training camp.
"I talk to Orlando all the time. Me and him have a great relationship," Mahomes said on Friday. "Obviously, we wanted to get the deal done. I'm sure he wanted to get the deal done, everything like that. But at the end of the day, we're gonna go out there and play football and I'm excited for him to be here and be a part of the team again."
Mahomes called Brown "one of the smartest football players" he's ever played with and refuted the notion that the left tackle isn't a team player by holding out for more money.
"You want him to be here, just because of the guy he is and he's a leader on this football team," Mahomes said. "But at the same time, when it comes to money and contracts and stuff like that, I'll never kinda force anyone to do anything, cause I know they're trying to provide for their family long term. But as a teammate and as a friend, you want him to be here and be a part of this."
Brown started 16 games for the Chiefs last season following a trade from Baltimore and earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl. He'd make $16.662 million playing on the franchise tag in 2022.
