Will the Chicago Bears sign Orlando Brown Jr.?

The Chicago Bears’ free-agent options at right tackle are shrinking after the first two days of NFL free agency. Mike McGlinchey is a Denver Bronco, Jawaan Taylor is a Kansas City Chief, and Kaleb McGary is back with the Atlanta Falcons.

All three offensive tackles were likely targets for GM Ryan Poles and the Bears, but only McGlinchey was in the mix in free agency’s first 48 hours.

That leaves former Kansas City Chiefs left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. as the best option remaining on the open market. For some, he was the best option for the Chicago Bears when free agency kicked off on Monday, too.

So, what’s the hold up with Brown? According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Brown wants to be paid as a left tackle, but NFL teams want him to play right tackle in 2023. Logic would suggest the Chicago Bears are one of those teams.

Will Orlando Brown Jr. become a Chicago Bear today?

— Bryan Perez (@BryanPerezNFL) March 15, 2023

Second-year player Braxton Jones is slated to be the Bears’ left tackle in 2023. The team appears set on that. Signing Orlando Brown Jr. to replace Jones would be foolish, there’s no guarantee Jones will make a smooth transition to right tackle. Furthermore, Brown has an established resume at right and left tackle — he’s been a Pro Bowl player at right tackle when he was with the Baltimore Ravens.

Would Orlando Brown Jr. be willing to play right tackle?

Whether Brown is willing to play on the right side is unclear. I’d imagine he’d play wherever the team asks him to, as long as he’s paid what he thinks he’s worth.

And let’s face it: for as well as Braxton Jones played in 2022, he’s far from a sure thing this early in his career. Orlando Brown Jr.”s representatives can fairly suggest that Brown may end up being the Bears” left tackle by midseason. And if that happens, he should be paid like it.

Some Bears fans prefer Chicago to draft an offensive tackle in the first round to fill the right tackle void. I’m not in that camp. I’d rather have the established pro-bowler at a premium price tag to protect Justin Fields in 2023 and beyond. Is Brown the best offensive tackle in the NFL? No. But he is the best free agent available in this year’s class, and adding a guy like that always comes at a markup.

The Chicago Bears have plenty of cap space to sign Orlando Brown Jr. if they want to. Poles knows the player as well or better than any general manager in the league right now. It should serve as a major red flag for other potential suitors if he passes on him. But if Poles thinks Brown is the upgrade his offensive line needs? Just pay the man.