Patriots considered 'best landing spot' for Chiefs biggest free agent prize

AFC Championship Game: Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs
AFC Championship Game: Buffalo Bills v Kansas City Chiefs | Perry Knotts/GettyImages

In one week's time, a number of players on the Kansas City Chiefs will be referred to as "former Chiefs," which will sound quite different (and disappointing) for a number of them. One of the team's brightest young stars, starting right guard Trey Smith, is one such name and he's headed toward an offseason windfall as the team's top free agent.

Smith is finishing the fourth season of a slotted rookie deal—a 4 year, $3,610,708 deal—as a former sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. If that sounds like a bargain, it is. The Chiefs have gotten four above-average seasons along the offensive line for that amount, and this season he made the leap to Pro Bowl status for the first time in his career.

Heading into the offseason, Smith is the team's biggest free agent-to-be alongside linebacker NIck Bolton (and perhaps safety Justin Reid). That's going to make it tough for the Chiefs to come up with the cash to keep him without some other financial maneuvers involved by general manager Brett Veach.

The Patriots make a lot of sense for Trey Smith's services, per PFF.

Smith is a mauler up front for the Chiefs and has helped to anchor an offensive loaded with talent, especially along the interior. Fellow Pro Bowlers Joe Thuney and Creed Humphrey are locked into long-term deals already which makes things difficult to pay Smith as well.

Last offseason, the guard market caught up considerably with the prior disparity between tackles and interior linemen. Multiple guards are now making more than $20 million annually, so it feels obvious for Smith to join them as a young Pro Bowler with multiple championship rings and the experience of having been at the top for so long.

Recently Pro Football Focus listed the "best landing spots" for several top free agents, and Smith was listed among the potential FA targets.

Per writer Mason Cameron, the New England Patriots would serve as the best home for Smith's prime seasons given the cap space they have to spend and the need to protect a young franchise quarterback coming into his second season in Drake Maye. He writes, "This offense ranked 29th in pressure rate allowed (39%) and surrendered the second-most interior pressures (118) in the NFL in 2024."

The Patriots' current right guard is Mike Onwenu, who was signed to an expensive three-year deal last offseason. However, he can start at multiple posts up front for the Patriots, so Smith could easily settle in as a plus asset for Mike Vrabel's offense.

Several competitors should emerge for Smith's services if the Chiefs prove unable to keep him. The Chicago Bears are loaded with cash, have major OL needs, and must protect Caleb Williams in the same way. The Houston Texans need an offensive line overhaul to take the next step in front of C.J. Stroud, and with the star QB on a rookie deal, they could afford such an investment up front.

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