Those Trey Smith Dreams Might Not Be Dead Yet
The Chicago Bears knew they couldn’t depend on free agency to solve their problems on the offensive. Not alone anyway. Still, it appears they were at least hoping they’d have a chance to go after former Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith. However, the Super Bowl apparently forced the Kansas City Chiefs to change direction. The decrepit state of their offensive line against Philadelphia made it clear they can’t afford to let good blockers go. That is why they franchise tagged Smith last week.
Reports indicate the team is working hard to hammer out a long-term extension with him. The problem is the Chiefs aren’t swimming in cash. They’re already projected to be over $17 million in the red. That means they must do a ton of cap gymnastics to find the space necessary to keep him. It is possible but not easy. Chris Emma of 670 The Score believes, from what he’s heard, that there is an outside chance a team could still find a way to pry Smith away.
It all depends on where the contract situation goes over the next month.
For Poles, that sentiment applied to Pro Bowl guard Trey Smith, according to multiple sources. The Bears coveted him, but he won’t reach unrestricted free agency after the Chiefs used the non-exclusive franchise tag on him last Friday. That means Smith is free to sign an offer sheet with another team, but the Chiefs have matching rights. Beyond that, if the Chiefs declined to match, they’d receive two first-round picks from the team that signs Smith.
Still, that doesn’t necessarily mean Smith won’t be available. Early last March, the Chiefs utilized the non-exclusive franchise tag on cornerback L’Jarius Sneed with the intention to trade him. He was dealt to the Titans in late March, with the Chiefs receiving a third-round pick and the two teams swapping seventh-round slots.
Chiefs general manager Brett Veach indicated last week that he hopes to sign Smith to a long-term contract extension, but the possibility looms that Kansas City could trade its tagged player once again.
Smith would command well over $20 million annually on the open market, according to sources.
Compensation will be key in any Trey Smith trade.
The Bears have more than enough money to match his contract demands. That isn’t the issue. It comes down to how much the Chiefs would want in a trade. There is no way the Bears or any team is trading two 1st round picks for a guard. However, if Kansas City sets a price tag similar to L’Jarius Sneed, that would be far more doable for Chicago. They have four picks in the first three rounds of this draft. If a 3rd round pick can land Trey Smith, that is a deal they have to make. He’s too good of a player in a vital position not to make a deal. Together with a substantial investment in free agency, it could set the Bears up to go in any direction they want in the 1st round.
Will it happen? Unlikely. Kansas City is in too compromising of a spot to let Smith walk. Then again, he’s not stupid. He knows he has leverage. He already has his rings. There is no reason for him to give the Chiefs any kind of discount. That is something the Bears should be hoping for.