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With the franchise tag deadline fast approaching, the Kansas City Chiefs only have two days to potentially sign offensive guard Trey Smith to a long-term contract extension. But with free agency now far in the past, NFL analyst Mike Florio is not confident that the Chiefs will get it done.
If the deal is not completed, Smith will play on a fully guaranteed $23.4 million franchise tag in 2025, which would make him the Chiefs' third-highest-paid player. Due to the value of the tag, Smith will only sign an extension if it “makes sense,” according to Florio. The analyst added that he believes Kansas City's tendency to play late in the year will influence his asking price.
“There's another wrinkle to this that potentially introduces an unprecedented dynamic to the talks,” Florio wrote. “Given the Chiefs' annual postseason runs, the team gets much more out of its players than other teams receive. Already, Smith has played 13 extra games in four years — taking 100 percent of the snaps in each one… So here's the possible argument, from Smith's perspective: His deal needs to contemplate something more than the paltry playoff checks for the 3.25 extra games he has played, per year.”
Smith has been uniquely durable throughout his career, starting 67 of a possible 68 regular-season games. He is coming off his best season, notching a 78.8 player grade on Pro Football Focus, the 14th-best of all eligible guards.
Chiefs' internally-focused 2025 free agency
Coming off yet another Super Bowl appearance, the Chiefs took a notably reserved approach in free agency. Kansas City mostly focused inward, re-signing Marquise Brown, Mike Caliendo, Mike Pennel, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jack Cochrane, among others. Yet, they omitted Smith, who is arguably their top concern.
Smith's negotiations have not been as publicized as some of his peers, as he seems much less frustrated with the situation than others. Despite the ongoing process, Smith attended OTAs and minicamp and did not appear to have any grievances with the organization.
The Chiefs bolstered their offensive line in free agency by giving Jaylon Moore a two-year deal, but they did not add any noteworthy guards. Kansas City also took tackle Josh Simmons in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft, but did not take any other offensive linemen. Their decisions suggest optimism about Smith's situation despite the sluggish negotiations.
