The Kansas City Chiefs face a critical deadline regarding guard Trey Smith, who is currently under the franchise tag. If no long-term agreement is reached by Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. ET, Smith will play the 2025 season under the tag. This would net him a fully-guaranteed $23.4 million salary, making him the third highest-paid player on the team and placing him just behind Patrick Mahomes, Jawaan Taylor, and Chris Jones in cap hit.

Smith Weighs Short-Term Windfall Against Long-Term Security and Elevated Playoff Workload

While Smith could secure top-tier pay for the 2025 season, the long-term future remains uncertain. He must weigh the guaranteed money now against the potential of a second franchise tag in 2026 or a shot at free agency. Given that his 2025 salary under the tag surpasses the average per-year earnings of any other NFL guard, a long-term offer must present significant value to justify turning down this year’s guaranteed windfall.

Smith’s situation is complicated by the Chiefs’ annual deep postseason runs, which demand significantly more from players than most teams. Over four years, Smith has played in 13 additional games — all at 100% snap count — due to extended playoff appearances. This essentially means he’s averaging 20+ games a season, making his physical workload and injury risk far higher than most guards in the league.

Playoff Contributions Deserve More Than Modest Bonuses, Especially for High-Impact Players

This raises the question of fair compensation. Smith and his representatives may argue that playoff participation, which currently comes with modest bonus checks, should be rewarded more substantially.

A potential solution could involve adding incentives for playoff games that wouldn’t count toward his APY, thus rewarding him only if the team continues its postseason success. However, this introduces a potential precedent that the Chiefs may hesitate to set, fearing similar demands from other key players.

Whether or not playoff incentives are the sticking point, Smith’s situation highlights a broader labor issue. The NFL Players Association might use cases like this to push for increased playoff compensation league-wide — particularly in light of a likely expansion to an 18-game regular season.

For high-impact players like Smith, whose roles are physically grueling, the push for fair compensation for extended seasons could become a central topic in future labor negotiations.