The Kansas Metropolis Chiefs completed their remaining main goal for this offseason, reaching settlement with proper guard Trey Smith on a four-year, $94 million contract extension, a record-setting deal that makes him the highest-paid inside lineman in league historical past, sources informed ESPN on Tuesday.
Smith’s deal consists of $70 million assured, essentially the most assured cash ever awarded to an NFL guard.
The Chiefs introduced their contract settlement with Smith however didn’t disclose phrases.
Smith, 26, entered Tuesday because the lone NFL participant who was nonetheless on the franchise tag, a transfer the Chiefs made Feb. 28 to stop him from reaching free company. Normal supervisor Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid made the choice — which restricted Smith to a one-year deal value $23.4 million — so the workforce may proceed to barter with him in hopes of signing him to a brand new contract earlier than Tuesday’s 4 p.m. ET deadline for franchised gamers to comply with long-term contracts.
Smith was one among two gamers to obtain the franchise tag this 12 months. The opposite, large receiver Tee Higgins, reached settlement on a long-term contract with the Cincinnati Bengals in March. This would be the first season since 2015 when no gamers will play the season on a franchise tag, based on ESPN Analysis.
Retaining Smith accomplished the Chiefs’ newest revamp of their offensive line, the workforce’s greatest mission this offseason to raised help quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Inside minutes of the deal’s settlement, Mahomes used his X account to put up a beaming face with smiling eyes emoji in response to Smith’s extension.
A primary-time Professional-Bowler final season, Smith will proceed to be a core contributor. He’ll block alongside a projected five-man lineup that features new left sort out Jaylon Moore, new left guard Kingsley Suamataia, All-Professional middle Creed Humphrey and proper sort out Jawaan Taylor. On this 12 months’s draft, the Chiefs doubled their efforts to enhance their greatest roster want, utilizing their first-round choose to pick left sort out Josh Simmons, who’s recovering from a left torn patellar harm that ended his remaining school season at Ohio State.
The NFL knowledgeable groups that the wage cap could be $279.2 million, which was larger than the Chiefs anticipated. The Chiefs deliberate for the wage cap to be round $270 million. Lower than per week after inserting the franchise tag on Smith, the Chiefs traded All-Professional left guard Joe Thuney to the Chicago Bears for a 2026 fourth-round choose. The choice to maneuver Thuney, 32, created $16 million in salary-cap area.
Smith entered the league in 2021 to assist the Chiefs overhaul their offensive line for the primary time within the Mahomes period. Though Smith was a second-team All-American in his remaining season at Tennessee, he was chosen within the sixth spherical (226th total) as a result of groups had been involved about his medical historical past. He was identified with blood clots in his lungs in February 2018. The problem reappeared eight months later, too. However since becoming a member of the Chiefs, Smith has been one among their most reliable gamers.
Smith, who is thought for his athleticism and tenacity, has began 80 of 81 video games, together with the Chiefs’ previous 4 postseason runs.
