KC Chiefs RG Trey Smith breaks silence on contract talks days ahead of NFL deadline to extend franchise-tagged players

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Charles Goldman | Last updated Jul 10, 2025 3:56 PM ET

The clock is ticking on a potential extension for the Kansas City Chiefs' franchise-tagged RG Trey Smith.

Smith, 26, is a former sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, who has been a quality and reliable starter along the offensive line since his rookie season. He became a Pro Bowler for the first time in 2024, and he's a two-time Super Bowl champion in Kansas City.

The team and Smith have just six days to agree upon a long-term contract extension before the NFL's July 15 deadline to extend franchise-tagged players. Will they get a deal done before the buzzer? Smith weighed in with the latest during a recent interview.

Chiefs RG Trey Smith is leaving things in the hands of his agents and Brett Veach

Outside of a handful of media appearances this offseason, Smith hasn't had an opportunity to speak publicly in such proximity to the upcoming deadline, at least until now. Speaking to Kay Adams on the Up & Adams Show this week, while shooting a State Farm commercial alongside Patrick Mahomes, Smith was asked about the contract talks.

"I know you're here at a commercial. We're shooting. We're having a great time," Adams said. "The season's ahead of us. You got tagged this offseason. I want to talk a little business—the highest-paid guard in NFL history. July 15 is here, okay? Long-term deal. What's the latest from (Brett) Veach?"

"You know, I just leave it to the hands of my agents," Smith replied. "And, you know, obviously the front office staff at the Chiefs are elite. At the end of the day, I just let them take care of it. I just have to focus on being the best version of myself, being the best football player, and being prepared for training camp because St Joe's is around the corner. That's going to be (tough), we don't want to talk about that right now."

Is Trey Smith getting an extension before the July 15th deadline? @heykayadams | @treysmith #ChiefsKingdom pic.twitter.com/WF4kE2LcaD
— Up & Adams (@UpAndAdamsShow) July 10, 2025

No matter what, Smith will be in Kansas City in 2025, and he's taking the right approach in mentally and physically preparing for what's to come at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, later this month. He knows just how hard Andy Reid training camps can be, after all, he's been through four of them already.

Should the Chiefs and Smith fail to get a long-term deal done ahead of the July 15 deadline, he'd play on a one-year, fully guaranteed $23.4M salary. It'd be a considerable risk to take on his part, knowing the cost of a second consecutive franchise tag would far exceed the average annual salary for an offensive guard. It's a significant reason why optimism exists that a long-term deal will be reached before 4:00 p.m. ET on July 15. The other reason? Both sides have made it clear that they want a long-term contract. Typically, when that's the end goal, a middle ground can be reached.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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