Chiefs extend G Trey Smith ahead of Training Camp in St. Joseph

175261168408618840
Ahead of the deadline to keep him from playing under the franchise tag this season, the Kansas City Chiefs extended the contract of offensive lineman Trey Smith/ Courtesy photo

By MATT PIKE

With a deadline of 3pm today so he would not have to play on the franchise tag, the Kansas City Chiefs and guard Trey Smith came to terms on a contract extension that will keep the offensive lineman in Kansas City well into the future. 

The Chiefs and Smith reached agreement on a four-year, $94 million contract extension, a record-setting deal that makes him the highest-paid interior lineman in league history, sources told ESPN today.  Smith’s deal includes $70 million guaranteed, the most guaranteed money ever awarded to an NFL guard.

The Chiefs announced their contract agreement with Smith but did not disclose terms.

Smith entered Tuesday as the lone NFL player who was still on the franchise tag, a move the Chiefs made on February 28th to prevent him from reaching free agency. General manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid made the decision, which restricted Smith to a one-year deal worth $23.4 million, so the team could continue to negotiate with him in hopes of signing him to a new contract before the deadline for franchised players to agree to long-term contracts.

Retaining Smith completed the Chiefs’ latest revamp of their offensive line, the team’s biggest mission this offseason to better support quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Within minutes of the deal’s agreement, Mahomes used his X account to post a beaming face with smiling eyes emoji in reaction to Smith’s extension.

Smith entered the league in 2021 to help the Chiefs overhaul their offensive line for the first time in the Mahomes era. Although Smith was a second-team All-American in his final season at Tennessee, he was selected in the sixth round because teams were concerned about his medical history. He was diagnosed with blood clots in his lungs in February 2018. The issue reappeared eight months later, too. But since joining the Chiefs, Smith has been one of their most dependable players.

Smith, who is known for his athleticism and tenacity, has started 80 of 81 games, including the Chiefs’ past four postseason runs.

You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt.