While the Kansas City Chiefs are relatively healthy heading into their Week 9 matchup against the Buffalo Bills, the jury is still out on one important player: right guard Trey Smith.
Smith, a Pro Bowl lineman for the first time in 2025, sat out of Week 8's win over the Washington Commanders due to back spasms—a problem that first arose midway through the Chiefs' win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 7.
It's heartening to see Smith back in practice in preparation for the Bills' matchup on Sunday, albeit with limited participation. That's a positive step in his recovery, to be sure, but there are a few questions about his likely "questionable" status coming into Week 9.
However, there are reasons to consider the bigger picture with Smith, given the timing of the Bills' game. The question must be asked: Should Smith sit out this week for precautionary reasons?
The Chiefs face a tough risk-reward decision with Trey Smith before the bye.
The drop from Smith to any backup—likely Mike Caliendo—is a steep one, and the Chiefs offense suffers with him out of the lineup. But what matters most is that the offensive engine is properly humming when the games matter most.
Smith's injury feels like something that could linger, as back injuries often do. The Chiefs have their bye week scheduled immediately following their road trip to Buffalo, which means Smith will get an extra week of rest soon anyway. If he already had Week 8 off and will have the bye as well, then why not just extend that absence for one more week? If the Chiefs gave Smith another game off in Week 9, he would have been given a full month to recuperate from back spasms.
The Chiefs face the Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts in back-to-back games following the bye—important contests that will shape both the AFC West and the greater conference. The second half also features both Broncos games and another matchup against the Chargers. The AFC West will be won (or lost) in these proverbial back nine of the schedule.
The frustrations that would arise if Smith were to try to play on Sunday only to experience a setback might not be the worth the effort. It's a risk-reward proposition that every team must make at some point in a season with a key injury. For the Chiefs, it's about making sure the offensive front is as stable as possible for Patrick Mahomes when the winter months close in.