Week 1 of the 2025 NFL season is still a few months away from us, but the Kansas City Chiefs already feel it closer with the third phase of their offseason program well underway. This week saw Andy Reid recover two projected starters, but he’s still missing a key teammate for Patrick Mahomes.
With the Chiefs reporting for their fourth of 10 Organized Team Activities on Monday, wide receivers Rashee Rice and Marquise “Hollywood” Brown were seen back on the practice field.
However, there’s another important player in Kansas City who has yet to show up at the voluntary workouts. We’re talking about guard Trey Smith, a player that Mahomes will need in the offensive line this year.
Chiefs still missing RG Trey Smith at OTAs
Smith, 25, hasn’t reported to the Chiefs OTAs yet as he’s seeking a lucrative, long-term contract extension at Arrowhead. A sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the 2x Super Bowl champion saw the Chiefs place the franchise tag on him as his four-year rookie deal expired this offseason.
Said franchise tag guarantees the Tennessee product a $23.4 million salary for the 2025 NFL season, while it also bought the Chiefs some time to work on a new deal. The team has until July 15 at 4:00 PM ET to get Smith tied to a long-term extension. If no agreement is reached, Smith will be a free agent in 2026.
While his absence isn’t great, the Chiefs understand that this can happen at this point of the offseason. Smith is entitled to stay away without being fined, though the situation will be different when mandatory minicamp starts.
General manager Brett Veach is optimistic about getting a deal done with Smith though, so Reid may have no reasons to be worried. Paying him would be the smart thing to do for the Chiefs, considering how much Mahomes needs a strong O-line.
The Chiefs hope to fix O-line problems to help Mahomes
The team already faces a concerning situation at left tackle after dealing with serious problems to protect Mahomes’ blindside in 2024, especially in Super Bowl LIX against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Free agent signing Jaylon Moore is expected to fix that issue, with Mike Caliendo and Kingsley Suamataia battling it out for the starting LG spot, which is up for grabs as Joe Thuney left for the Chicago Bears in the open market.
The Chiefs simply can’t afford to lose Smith, and even though he’s under contract for the 2025 NFL season, securing his presence beyond this year would be wise. Only time will tell us when they get him to work with the rest of the team again.