NFL training camps will be here before anyone knows it, meaning the league is one step closer to real games being played. With that, though, also comes a significant deadline for some teams and their star players.

The Kansas City Chiefs, specifically, are acutely aware of what that entails.

Right guard Trey Smith remains unsigned long-term, as he’s instead sitting on the $23.4 million 2025-26 franchise tag. The game of dollars and cents is growing more intense by the second; Kansas City has until 4:00 p.m. ET on July 15 to strike an agreement with his camp on a multiyear contract extension.

With that timeline in mind, former NFL agent Joel Corry expanded on the situation in a July 2 article for CBS Sports. Corry notes that if no contract is signed soon, it’ll have to wait until the regular season ends.

He also dove into how much an extension could cost the Chiefs given that time is ticking.

Guard Market’s Examples for What to Potentially Expect

The offensive guard marketplace is telling. Occupying the highest total value is Chris Lindstrom of the Atlanta Falcons at $102.5M.

In terms of guaranteed money, Carolina Panthers standout Robert Hunt takes the cake at $63M.

Smith paces the field in average annual value (AAV) on the aforementioned tag, with Landon Dickerson of the Philadelphia Eagles being in second place at $21M.

Corry, emphasizing the need to consider recent market dynamics, other in-house extensions and potential “record-setting guarantees,” reveals the potential path for Smith leaving the franchise tag behind and inking a new contract.

“To turn down a four-year, $86 million contract, averaging $21.5 million per year, Smith’s camp would have to feel confident that he could command at least $62.598 million over three years for a $20.866 million average yearly salary next year on the open market,” Corry wrote. “That’s the break-even point with this $21.5 million-per-year deal after playing the 2025 season under a $23.402 million franchise tag. The Chiefs using an extremely player-friendly structure is probably the best bet to get Smith to accept a deal closer to $21.5 million per year than averaging in the vicinity of his $23.402 million franchise tag.”

Chiefs’ Usage of Franchise Tag on Trey Smith Is Uncommon

One of the trickiest elements of this situation is that the Chiefs’ approach is somewhat unorthodox. Per Corry, only three other guards have received the franchise tag in the last 10 years.

Because Smith would cost 120% of this tag a year from now, running this specific scenario back is unlikely. A deal is in the best interest of the team.

Whether that makes sense for the player is the interesting part. It isn’t for a lack of respect coming from Kansas City, as general manager Brett Veach touched on back in April.

“Hopefully we get that done,” Veach said. “There’s no lack of interest or will or desire on our end and we did have, Pete [Sweeney], a ton of talk with Tory [Dandy] and Jimmy [Sexton], his agent, heading into the [NFL Scouting] Combine. Those conversations continued on to the owner’s meetings and so now – also, CAA has a ton of draft prospects, and they have a ton going on, so we’ve exchanged multiple phone calls [and] multiple emails. . . .”

Smith will get a hefty raise. He’s logged well over 4,000 snaps in four years, serving as a great run blocker in Kansas City.

He’s a young, seemingly ascending player who represents the scouting and development processes to a T. The Chiefs know that.

How far they’re willing to go to show it will determine whether it’s a short- or long-term solution.