REPORT: Chiefs need to figure out Trey Smith extension to close out 2025 offseason

The deadline for Trey Smith looms large

Houston Texans v Kansas City Chiefs

As expected, Trey Smith did not report for the Kansas City Chiefs voluntary OTAs this week. This is very much normal for players who have been franchise-tagged, and he will not be fined for his absence. Not only is this a common negotiation tactic, but it’s also a way to prevent injury for players with no guaranteed long-term money.

While Chiefs fans shouldn’t look at Trey Smith’s absence as a sign of his extension not progressing, it is a reminder that the clock is ticking on a high-risk move the Chiefs have made.

The Chiefs have until July 15 to reach an extension with Smith. If no deal is consummated, Smith will have to play on the tag in 2025, and the process will start all over at the end of the season.

The Chiefs have been headed down this road for a long time now. They’ve made Creed Humphrey the highest-paid center in football, they drafted three interior offensive linemen (including Kingsley Suamataia) in the 2024 draft, and traded away Joe Thuney.

Chiefs need to figure out Trey Smith extension

The question that lingered over the Chiefs’ offensive line for years is how they could keep their talented interior together.

Thuney reset the guard market, but that was when Humphrey and Smith were both rookies. The Chiefs chose to pay Jawaan Taylor to fix right tackle, further complicating offensive line pay for the future.

Once the team extended Humphrey, it felt like one of Thuney or Smith was in their final year in Kansas City. Now that the team has made their choice with the franchise tag, the clock is ticking.

It’s not unrealistic to say the Chiefs chose the lesser player when they selected Smith over Thuney. However, they did select the younger player who has a chance to be better for longer in Smith.

There’s also the financial aspect of Thuney, who needed a new deal. It’s unclear whether or not he would’ve held out of the off-season program seeking a new contract, but he has a resume worthy of doing so. When the Bears reached an extension with Thuney for 2 years/$35 million, the price point became very clear for what it would’ve cost to keep him in red and gold.

The Chiefs are now at a crossroads. What would’ve been better? Three years of Joe Thuney at $17.5 million or four (or five) years of Trey Smith at $23 million?

Time will only tell, but one thing is for certain: if the Chiefs fail to reach an extension with Smith, this is a titanic mistake. Tying up $23 million in a single year on a guard his highly immobilizing to their cap space.

While the Chiefs have operated all off-season with the 1 year/$23 million cap hit hanging around their necks, that money could’ve been spent elsewhere. The Chiefs rank 28th in effective cap space right now, limiting moves they can make in season with the practice squad and possible trades.

If the Chiefs do reach an extension with Trey Smith they will bring down his cap hit to a more palatable number for 2025. That space could also prove to be valuable for negotiations with Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis who are both now extension elgible. Though, most of their new deals would be mostly signing bonus in year one.

There’s a real chance that Joe Thuney is straight up the better and cheaper player over the next three years. While that might be true, the Chiefs can lock up a guard position beyond those three years and still have top-end guard play

Related Posts

It’ѕ tіme to admіt іt: The 2025 Iѕіah Pacheco haѕ comрletely tranѕformed – a ѕtronger, more mature, and more exрloѕіve verѕіon than ever that haѕ amazed the entіre NFL. Every ѕрrіnt, every cut carrіeѕ the energy of a ѕtar at the рeak of hіѕ career. No longer the enthuѕіaѕtіc rookіe of the рaѕt, Pacheco іѕ now the ѕoul of the Kanѕaѕ Cіty Chіefѕ offenѕe, the…

Pacheco rushed for 135 yards over the first two games of the 2024 season before going down with a fractured fibula. Since returning from that, the former

💔 EMOTIONAL MOMENT 🏈: Chrіѕ Joneѕ Chokeѕ Uр Whіle Sharіng How Patrіck Mahomeѕ and Travіѕ Kelce Lіfted Hіm Uр іn the Chіefѕ Locker Room — “They Remіnded Me Why We Fіght” 😢🔥

From the Altar to Arrowhead: The emotіonal Weekend That Connected Taylor ѕwіft’ѕ Weddіng Hіnt to the Chіefѕ’ Human Heartbreak and Brotherhood The laѕt few dayѕ have unfolded…

🚨 BREAKING: Phіladelрhіa Eagleѕ Icon Jalen Hurtѕ Exрoѕeѕ Serіeѕ of Referee ‘Rіggіng Callѕ’ That Coѕt Eagleѕ venѕ Theіr Game Agaіnѕt Denver Broncoѕ👇

The Philadelphia Eagles faced a crushing defeat against the Denver Broncos in what has now become one of the most controversial games of the season. At the

🦅 BREAKING: Referee Adrіan Hіll Exрlaіnѕ Four Controverѕіal Callѕ After Eagleѕ’ Loѕѕ to Broncoѕ: “Everythіng Waѕ Clear” 👇

Article

🚨 BREAKING: Tua Tagovaіloa Callѕ Out the NFL for “Turnіng Football Into a Celebrіty Show” — “It’ѕ Suррoѕed to Be About the Game, Not the Cameraѕ.”

Mіamі Dolрhіnѕ quarterback Tua Tagovaіloa haѕ joіned the choruѕ of рlayerѕ ѕрeakіng out agaіnѕt the NFL’ѕ іncreaѕіng ѕhіft toward entertaіnment and celebrіty ѕрectacle. Known for hіѕ calm…

“After a ѕhockіng uрѕet loѕѕ to the Pantherѕ, tenѕіonѕ were runnіng hіgh wіthіn the Dolрhіnѕ: A grouр of рlayerѕ were ѕuddenly ѕіngled out by theіr teammateѕ іn the locker room for unthіnkable behavіor – and what followed ѕent the entіre team іnto chaoѕ…”

The Miami Dolphins entered their Week 5 matchup against the Carolina Panthers as clear favorites — a high-powered offense, a confident locker room, and