'He's a people mover and a people stopper - NFL executive gives Trey Smith high praise as crucial deadline with the Chiefs approaches on Tuesday

The Kansas City Chiefs have gotten elite-level play from former Tennessee Vol Trey Smith, their sixth-round draft pick in 2021.  Smith has helped pave the way for three Super Bowl trips and two championships during his four years in Kansas City. 

However, Smith reached the edge of free agency back in March, where he was set to break the bank on the market as the top interior free agent lineman available.  That didn't end up happening because the Chiefs slapped the franchise tag on Smith during their window before free agency began, which blocked his path to free agency. 

That respect for Smith and interest from teams around the league was confirmed by ESPN on Saturday, who put out a list of the top ten interior offensive linemen in the league as voted on by NFL executives, coaches, and scouts.  Smith checked in at #4. 

This is what ESPN had to say about Smith: 

That Kansas City franchise tagged Smith at $23.4 million says a lot about the quality of the player. The Chiefs are often salary cap-strapped and aren't afraid to let marquee free agents walk... but Smith is too unique to escape the Chiefs' facility.

"Power, brute strength, physicality -- he's a people-mover and a people-stopper," an AFC executive said.

Smith was a first-round talent in 2021 but fell to the sixth round as some teams were not comfortable with his medical profile, due to a heart condition detected while at Tennessee. He has overcome that to become a premier player.

Smith's 75.1 run block win rate ranks third among this group, and he received several first-place votes because of it. As one NFL coordinator said, "He's got elite hands, and he is great at finishing his blocks."

To be sure, Smith had a rough Super Bowl loss against Philadelphia. But the entire Chiefs line struggled that night, and that game will hardly define him.

While the Chiefs saved him from going to another team for the time being, that bill is now coming due if they want to keep him in Kansas City long term.  Under NFL rules, teams and players have until 4:00 pm ET on Tuesday, July 15 to sign a long-term agreement.  If they do not, the player would have to play on the franchise tag amount for the season (provided they sign it) and then would have to try to test free agency again next year. 

Naturally, players want to get that long-term deal and additional security as quickly as possible in a sport as dangerous as football.  But don't feel too badly for Smith, as he would earn $23.4 million in 2025 on the tag under league rules.  

And clearly, Smith could have plenty of dollars thrown his way from interested teams around the league in March 2026 if the Chiefs and Smith can't find a way to find common ground for the near future.  That is, if the Chiefs don't tag him a second time and start this madness all over again.