Analyst Sees 5 Likely Landing Spots for Chiefs Guard Trey Smith

Trey Smith got his nickname from the three roman numerals at the end of his given name. Now, the top offensive lineman on the free-agent market is expected to more than triple his lifetime earnings in 2025 alone.

Smith, 25, could command nearly $19 million in average annual salary when free agency begins March 12. And according to Tyler Brooke of The 33rd Team, five teams should surface as his best landing spots. Ranked in order of projected available cap space, those teams are New England ($120 million), Chicago ($62.9 million), Tennessee ($44 million), Kansas City ($11.5 million) and Houston (over the cap by $90 million).

“The Chiefs will have to make some tough financial decisions this offseason,” Brooke said, “but they need to do whatever it takes to keep Smith in the building while hoping he'd be willing to take a hometown discount.”

Since entering the league in the sixth round of the 2021 draft, Smith has made 80 of 81 starts. While Patrick Mahomes endured plenty of pressure in 2024, Smith, Creed Humphrey and Joe Thuney were the NFL’s only three offensive linemen during the regular season to reach 1,000 snaps without allowing a sack.

And since Andy Reid immediately inserted Smith into his lineup, the Chiefs have gone 63-18 (.778) and won two of their three Super Bowl appearances. Sunday’s loss marked Smith’s 56th straight start since missing the only game of his career, when a pectoral injury cost him a game early in 2022.

Like his teammates, Smith endured a difficult night in Kansas City’s Super Bowl loss. Philadelphia sacked Patrick Mahomes a career-high six times, despite zero blitzes, including the first sack Smith allowed in 20 games this season. Pro Football Focus also docked him for three pressures and two hurries. However, Smith was far from the Chiefs’ most glaring issue. And no one expects his Super Bowl film to overshadow his larger body of NFL work.

The Pro Bowler isn’t just the best available offensive lineman. Many consider him the second-highest overall name in the NFL among unrestricted free agents, behind Tee Higgins.