The Kansas City Chiefs are preparing for yet another AFC Championship Game in what could be the last game of the Trey Smith Era. A sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Tennessee product immediately outplayed his draft stock and became a full-time starter as a rookie. Holding on to his job and improving annually, Smith has become one of the league’s elite guards and has combined with Joe Thuney and Creed Humphrey to form the best interior offensive line in football.
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end and Smith is headed towards unrestricted free agency at the end of the season. While Kansas City will try and retain their homegrown talent, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler believes he will ultimately leave and sign with the Chicago Bears. While Chicago makes sense as a potential landing spot, teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers could also pursue him.
Chiefs Projected to Lose Free Agent Trey Smith
The Chicago Bears will devote the 2025 season to turning Caleb Williams into a top-10 quarterback. Widely perceived to be the best quarterback prospect since Andrew Luck or Trevor Lawrence, Williams had a promising rookie season but didn’t play as well as second-overall pick Jayden Daniels or third-overall pick Drake Maye. The team hired former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson to install some life into the passing game, but Johnson alone won’t fix this offense.
Chicago allowed 68 sacks last year, the most in the league. While Williams’ tendency to hold onto the ball bears a portion of the burden, this team must improve the interior offensive line. Trey Smith is easily the best guard on the open market, and the Bears can outbid the Chiefs for his services. Armed with over $66 million in cap space, Chicago can sign Smith and still address other needs throughout the roster. With a better coach and improved blocking, don’t be surprised if Chicago makes a push for the playoffs.
Of course, the Bears won’t be the only team trying to steal Trey Smith from the Chiefs. Good blockers are hard to find, and teams like the Baltimore Ravens and Los Angeles Chargers could see him as the missing piece to their championship teams.
Other Fits
The Baltimore Ravens will have yet another fascinating offseason. Last year, the team lost several crucial free agents, including starting guards Kevin Zietler and John Simpson. While the team found a way to get by without linebacker Patrick Queen and edge defender Jadeveon Clowney, they never found proper replacements for their interior offensive line. Jackson faced interior pressure throughout the season, and Trey Smith could fix arguably the biggest hole on the roster. The only question is if the team can afford to sign him without losing tackle Ronnie Stanley.
The Chargers, meanwhile, have a phenomenal tackle duo in Rashawn Slater and Joe Alt but not much else. Zion Johnson is an adequate starter, but Trey Pipkins is a liability and will probably be cut during the offseason. Los Angeles has over $63 million in projected cap space, and it’s safe to assume head coach Jim Harbaugh will use a portion of that to improve the guard position. Trey Smith is the best player available, and the team would probably love to take him from a hated division rival like the Chiefs.
Main Photo: Charles LeClaire – USA Today Sports
