What Happens If Chiefs Don't Extend Trey Smith?

The Kansas City Chiefs are getting ready to open up training camp next week. This is the next step in the offseason for the Chiefs. This is also the final step before the Chiefs start taking the field for actual games against other teams. But the Chiefs are facing a tough question before training camp. And that is, are they going to extend Trey Smith or let him play on the franchise tag next season?

The Chiefs franchised-tagged Smith earlier this offseason. Smith has been a good player for the Chiefs. And on the offensive line, at the guard position, he has been one of the few good offensive linemen for the Chiefs.

The Chiefs knew that they could not lose him this offseason, or else it would have been a massive loss. But if they do not get a deal done by the deadline today, we can potentially see Smith hold out.

Per NFL: The Chiefs placed their non-exclusive franchise tag on Smith on Feb. 28. The Pro Bowl offensive lineman will earn $23.4 million on the tag unless a new deal is agreed to before the July 15 deadline. Smith, 26, has started 77 games, including postseason, since being selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Chiefs have not had a good offensive line in the last few years. So, for the Chiefs, it will make sense to figure out an extension with Smith. But so far, no deal has been reached. Smith can still play the season, but then after next season, he will become a free agent, and there will be a lot of teams looking to sign him next offseason.

"If Smith doesn’t sign a long-term deal by the deadline, he’ll be locked into playing a one-year deal worth $23.402 million. NFL rules prohibit players playing on the franchise tag from negotiating toward a new deal until after the conclusion of the current season, so the Chiefs and Smith’s camp would have to wait to return to the negotiation table," said Jayna Bardahl of The Athletic.

Smith is probably hoping to reset the guard market and top the four-year, $84 million deal that Landon Dickerson received from the Philadelphia Eagles in 2023. That contract features an average salary of $21 million per season. Smith — if he does indeed play on the tag — would draw more for that single season than Dickerson’s average, and it would benefit the Chiefs to work out a long-term deal rather than have to franchise Smith a second season, which would translate into a $28.082 million salary for 2026.

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