The Chiefs beat the deadline to lock up their right guard for the foreseeable future.
Trey Smith is signing a four-year, $94 million extension with $70 million guaranteed, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, a pact that replaces the franchise tag. Smith is now set to be the highest-paid guard in the NFL, per Rapoport.
Kansas City officially announced extending Smith later on Tuesday.
Smith was tagged back in February, providing him a one-year, $23.4 million tender and starting the countdown to July 15, at which point he would've been locked into playing under the tag had the two sides not come to a long-term agreement. The 2024 Pro Bowler was one of two players to have the franchise tag applied this offseason, joining Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins. Like Higgins, Smith is now under contract with his team long term.
It's a far different outcome than Kansas City's last experience with the franchise tag, when the Chiefs used it on cornerback L'Jarius Sneed in March 2024 before trading him weeks later.
The Chiefs were already beyond that timeline this year, holding a pre-draft news conference on April 18 when general manager Brett Veach reiterated the team's hopes of coming to a multi-year solution with Smith.
Such a deal took time to hash out, though, especially for an offensive lineman of Smith's caliber. The recently turned 26-year-old didn't allow a sack last season until giving up one apiece in the team's final two playoff games, and he was already set to be the league's highest-paid guard in 2025 on the tag.
The Chiefs nonetheless accomplished what they set out to do under the wire, and have now committed a considerable amount of resources to shoring up Patrick Mahomes' offensive line.
Protection was exposed as a weakness for Kansas City during its Super Bowl loss to the Eagles, but even before that there was a question mark regarding Mahomes' blindside, with the team finally finding an answer by sliding Joe Thuney out to left tackle midseason.
That was always a temporary measure, however, and the Chiefs essentially chose Smith over Thuney this offseason by trading the elder guard to the Bears. The Chiefs then used a 2025 first-round pick on Josh Simmons as their new LT of the future.
On top of inking Smith's shiny new deal and using first-round draft capital on Simmons, Kansas City is paying Creed Humphrey the highest average annual salary for a center at $18 million per year, right tackle Jawaan Taylor $20 million per year -- fourth-highest at his position -- and left tackle Jaylon Moore a hefty $15 million per year. Kingsley Suamataia, a 2024 second-round pick, is set to man the guard spot opposite Smith.
It makes for a strong (but pricy) group of six to work through for the best starting combination as any injuries or performance issues arise in the coming months, plus Wanya Morris and Mike Caliendo are around for depth.
Kansas City's 2025 O-line has been established for some time now, but guaranteeing Smith's future beyond a one-year Band-Aid makes moving on from Thuney, a first-team All-Pro two seasons straight, more tenable. With Smith clogging the middle alongside Humphrey, the opponent's most direct path to Mahomes should prove a difficult one for years.
The Chiefs have cause to celebrate a short time out from training camp, where Smith and Co. will begin their quest to retake the NFL throne.
