Trey Smith Reveals Thoughts on Potential Contract Extension with Chiefs

With year No. 4 on deck, Smith isn't spending too much time worrying about what his next deal will look like or who it could come from.

Feb 11, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith (65) against the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

One of the only downsides of drafting good players is the inevitable time that will arise to pay them. That's something NFL teams know all too well, and the Kansas City Chiefs are no different. General manager Brett Veach's recent draft classes have helped the franchise sustain a dynasty, although each year comes with different costly decisions to make on the personnel front.

Veach has offered one-year deals to many of his picks, but only defensive end Mike Danna has received a multi-year one from the team. That's expected to change at some point soon, however, as the 2021 class is about to enter the final year of its rookie-scale contracts.

Linebacker Nick Bolton, center Creed Humphrey, tight end Noah Gray and right guard Trey Smith are all in line for new contracts. It's unlikely that all four ink their next deals in Kansas City, meaning someone could – or even should – hit the free agent market. Earlier this offseason, Bolton made his feelings known when he respectfully kicked the proverbial tin can down the road. This week at training camp, one of his teammates is doing the same.

When Smith was asked about whether he pays attention to the contract side, he immediately shifted focus to his "College Football 25" virtual dynasty. The former sixth-round pick then provided an honest answer, saying he'll opt to just keep his head down and work.

"I don't look at all that stuff, man," Smith said. "I worry about what my coaches tell me, I worry about how they feel about me. You know, if I do my job at a high level, everything else is going to take care of itself. That's all I've got to do, just keep working and do my job at a high level."

While Smith didn't elaborate on his desire to remain a Chief on Sunday, he did so at the OL Masterminds camp earlier this month. It's clearly a priority for him, and there's an argument to be made both for and against the same being true for the organization.

On one hand, Smith has provided tremendous value considering his draft slot. The pre-draft medical concerns surrounding his profile haven't impacted his NFL career whatsoever. He's played in 50 regular-season games over three years and has thousands of snaps under his belt. His consistency is relatively unmatched, as both the eye test and advanced metrics depict someone who always plays at an above-average level.

On the other hand, Smith's penalties and pressures surrendered took a hit last season and he isn't quite the same level of player as Humphrey or Joe Thuney. Those players, Pro Bowlers and/or All-Pros, can compete for market-resetting deals and have it be justified. Some team may back up the Brink's truck for Smith's services, but it likely won't be Kansas City considering the context of who they're paying now and who they will soon have to pay.

Recent guard contracts have inflated the market. Average annual values for Landon Dickerson ($21 million), Robert Hunt ($20.5M), Quinn Meinerz ($18M) and even Jonah Jackson ($17M) or Kevin Dotson ($16M) make it a lot more difficult to see the Chiefs extending Smith. If they did, it'd have to be at a similar price point and be tied to a Humphrey deal for years to come.

Another quality effort from Smith in 2024, one he plans on putting forth, could make things even more complicated.

Read More: Andy Reid Updates Status of Chris Jones, Hollywood Brown