If general manager Ryan Poles and the Bears were intent on signing top free agent guard Trey Smith, Chicago is going to need to start coming up with some contingency plans.
Thursday, the Kansas City Chiefs decided to use the franchise tag on Smith, ensuring that the 25-year-old stalwart won’t be hitting free agency when the new league year begins, potentially dealing the Chicago Bears’ offseason plans a significant blow.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter was first to report the news that the Chiefs plan to tag Smith.
Chiefs have informed Pro-Bowl guard Trey Smith that he will be franchise tagged, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 27, 2025
Under the franchise tag, Smith is set to collect $25.8 million for the 2025 campaign, which would be $4 million more than Philadelphia Eagles guard Landon Dickerson is paid, per season, as the highest-paid player at the position.
Inside the Kansas City Chiefs’ Decision to Tag Chicago Bears Target Trey Smith
As the NFL Combine began in Indianapolis, the league revealed to teams that the salary cap would be rising to $279.5 million this season, which may have tipped the scales in the Chiefs’ favor of even being able to tag Smith in the first place.
Thanks to the cap rising, Kansas City is now projected to have upwards of $7.9 million in cap space, making it significantly easier to absorb a Smith tag, especially if the Chiefs rework quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ contract to create additional spending flexibility.
It is also noteworthy that the Chiefs can use the tag merely to buy time while negotiating a long-term contract with Smith to lower his cap number for the upcoming season. Teams have until July 15 to reach a long-term agreement with a player who was tagged, before their salary is guaranteed at the tag-level for the upcoming season.
Regardless, the Bears will need to look elsewhere for interior line help this offseason.
Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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