The Kansas City Chiefs are racing against the clock. No, it’s not Patrick Mahomes leading a two-minute drill for a chance to win a game at the last second. Instead, it’s a decision on whether to extend right guard Trey Smith to a long-term contract. The team will have to make a tough choice either way.
If the Chiefs offer Smith a multi-year deal, it will likely hamstring them beyond this season. But if Kansas City doesn’t get a contract done before 4 p.m. Eastern time on July 15, Smith will make $23.4 million this season—more than any other guard in the NFL.
Ironically, Smith might end up losing out on long-term money because of the man he’s paid to protect. Mahomes has a cap hit of $28 million on a base salary of $1.2 million this upcoming season. In 2026, he’ll make $45.3 million in salary, with a $78.2 million cap hit. That’s quite the leap.
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Smith might end up as an odd man out as the Chiefs consider their financial future. He’ll for sure be in Kansas City this season; the Chiefs used the franchise tag on their star guard, who’s won two Super Bowls with the team since being drafted in 2021. That franchise tag has that steep cost of $23.4 million to lock Smith in for the year.
Earlier this offseason, the Chiefs traded All-Pro guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears. That could potentially open up room for negotiation with Smith, though Kansas City could also look toward other options that wouldn’t be as costly.
Smith was a sixth-round selection out of Tennessee and has been a key piece in Kansas City’s success over the past half-decade. He’s started in all 67 games he’s played, only missing one contest in four seasons and earning his first Pro Bowl nod last year. He also had a role in the Hallmark Channel movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story.” This movie has a prominent section in the Hallmark Visitors Center, should you ever find yourself in Kansas City.
Will a role in such a film keep Smith around long-term? Likely not, but it’s a fun bit of trivia. In the meantime, he’ll look to help the Chiefs return to the Super Bowl—and hopefully score a big deal in the process.
