Analyst Envisions Chiefs Swapping Pro Bowler for Hall of Famer

Micah Parsons said Zack Martin would probably retire before playing in a city other than Dallas. Then again, Joe Montana stopped in Kansas City for two years on his way to the Hall of Fame.

Martin is an unrestricted free agent and likely can play as long as he wants for Jerry Jones in Dallas. But most agree the Cowboys are not his best shot to win a Super Bowl before posing for a bust in Canton.

According to ESPN analyst Matt Bowen, Martin fits best in Kansas City, especially as a replacement for Pro Bowl free-agent guard Trey Smith.

“We have Trey Smith fitting with the Bears,” Bowen wrote Tuesday, “leaving an open spot on the interior of the Kansas City front. Martin still brings the blend of size (6-4, 315 pounds) and mobility that coaches want at the guard position. Last season, Martin played in 10 games due to a right ankle injury, but his pass-block win rate of 93.7 percent ranked 15th among guards.”

A seven-time All-Pro and nine-time Pro Bowler, Martin is entering his 12th NFL season. His 2024 ankle injury limited him to just 10 games, his lowest total in four years. A dominant interior lineman, he’s helped the Cowboys to the playoffs six times.

Mike Caliendo, Kingsley Suamataia or C.J. Hanson could potentially fill a Trey Smith hole at right guard for Kansas City. Or, the Chiefs could address the position through free agency or the draft. But whoever starts at guard is not as important as who starts at offensive tackle.

Tackle was the Chiefs’ glaring liability in 2024, a weakness most obvious in the Super Bowl when Philadelphia got six sacks from its front four without calling a single blitz. Patrick Mahomes endured the worst game of his career.

Smith’s departure is far from guaranteed, though. Although rated as one of the best three overall free agents in the league, the Chiefs still have the ability to tag him as their franchise player or even utilize the rarely used transition tag, as Jordan Dajani detailed on Tuesday.

The window for teams to tag players runs from Tuesday through March 4.

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