Former Vol OL Trey Smith Faces Pricey Decision Concerning His Future with Chiefs
Former Tennessee Volunteer Trey Smith is facing a pricey decision concerning his future with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Trey Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs were on the wrong side of a lopsided outing in Super Bowl LIX, with the Philadelphia Eagles coming out on top with a final score of 40-22. Despite the season being over, the former Volunteer is poised to quickly decide on his future in the NFL.
As a 2024 Pro Bowl selection, Smith is expected to enter next season as potentially the highest paid offensive guard in the league once free agency begins in March. While his performance during his four-year career has been dominant and full of winning, he faces a tough decision to leave an established machine in Kansas City that was one game away from winning a record third consecutive Lombardi Trophy.
Assuming Smith wants to maximize his value, he will likely have to do so for another franchise. While the Chiefs have played in an unprecedented seven consecutive AFC Championship games, it is safe to assume the dominant franchise could potentially be on the back half of their run.
With TE Travis Kelce and DL Chris Jones presumably being at the end of their careers, it seems as if the core of the Kansas City dynasty will likely be moving on, and it is fair to assume Smith may join another contender.
With two Super Bowl rings in his trophy case, Smith has eliminated himself for being a part of the dreaded majority who end their careers without being a champion, he has certainly earned the right to test the market to maximize his earning potential. With several teams in the league in the market for an upgrade at guard, Smith has plenty of suitors that would be happy to have his services. It is also worth noting that if the Chiefs do not pick up his 5th year, they will save $16M in cap space.
With the free agency period scheduled to open on March 12th at 4 PM E.T., it will be interesting to see the direction Smith and the Chiefs decide to go.
