For the second year in a row, the Kansas City Chiefs have brought contract negotiations with one of their stars down to the wire. Just as they did with defensive tackle Chris Jones, however, a deal is getting done with right guard Trey Smith in the end.
Per a July 15 report from Adam Schefter and Nate Taylor of ESPN, Smith and the Chiefs have settled on a big-time contract extension. This news comes just hours before the league-mandated deadline of 4:00 p.m. ET.
https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1945178397816111176
Chiefs Beat the Clock, Locking up Trey Smith for Several Years
According to Schefter, it’s a four-year extension worth $94 million for Smith. The contract includes $70M guaranteed.
Without a resolution, Smith was set to play out the season on the franchise tag with no deal. That fully-guaranteed number of $23.4M for the 2025-26 campaign was the highest average annual value existing on the guard market.
Projections for a new deal were all hefty. Earlier this month, former NFL agent Joel Corry broke down Smith’s “break-even” point if he were to sign a contract after playing a year on the tag. Now, that’s nothing more than a hypothetical.
With players like Landon Dickerson ($21M AAV), Robert Hunt ($63M guaranteed) and Chris Lindstrom ($102.5M overall value) on the landscape, each example likely factored into Smith’s math.
On July 10, Smith appeared on “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams and shared his thoughts on where negotiations with the Chiefs stood.
“Uh, you know, I just leave it to the hands of my agents,” Smith said. “Obviously, the front office staff of the Chiefs are elite. At the end of the day, I just let them take care of it. I just have to focus on being the best version of myself, being the best football player and being prepared for training camp, because St. Joe is around the corner. That’s gonna be – we don’t want to talk about that right now [laughs].”
Smith to Fortify Kansas City’s Offensive Line in 2025 & Beyond
Smith was originally drafted as a sixth-round pick back in 2021. In four years with the Chiefs, he’s started 80 combined regular-season and playoff games. With thousands of snaps under his belt, he’s a mainstay at right guard. 2024 saw him make his first career Pro Bowl after posting a 78.8 Pro Football Focus overall grade that ranked 14th among 136 qualified guards.
https://x.com/AlbertBreer/status/1945200238823698674
Now locked up on a new deal, Smith will shift focus to the upcoming season. Starters on either side of him are the same as they’ve been for the past two seasons. On Smith’s left, Creed Humphrey has established himself as the game’s best center. On Smith’s right, veteran tackle Jawaan Taylor is looking for a consistent year. Considering the team can save $20M against the cap by cutting him next offseason, he has every incentive to turn in a great year.
The left side of the Chiefs’ line will look different. At guard, Kingsley Suamataia is tracking to replace All-Pro Joe Thuney. The left tackle spot is most interesting. One of free agent signing Jaylon Moore or first-round NFL Draft pick Josh Simmons will win that battle. The latter is already receiving insane heaps of praise.
Smith and Humphrey are stabilizing forces in the middle. As a result of Smith’s new contract, both friends and teammates will remain pillars of the offensive line for years to come.
