The Kansas City Chiefs' most important free agent at the start of the offseason was Trey Smith and while they have retained him through the use of the franchise tag, both sides have a timer on getting a long term deal done.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ most important free agent at the start of the offseason was Trey Smith and while they have retained him through the use of the franchise tag, both sides have a timer on getting a long term deal done. originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

The Kansas City Chiefs are underway at their OTAs this week with almost all players accounted for. Kansas City finds themselves in unfamiliar territory as it pertains to the last few seasons, engaging in a title pursuit rather than a defense.

They will need all the help they can get to keep their incredible run going, having won five of the last six AFC Championships and the last nine AFC West titles. Early indications show they are on the right track.

Two areas of focus for the Chiefs heading into the offseason and summer were at wide receiver and on the offensive line. The start of OTAs brings some key updates on both fronts.

Hollywood Brown and Rashee Rice, two of Patrick Mahomes’ top three wide receiver targets, missed significant time in 2024 with injury. They are both back and progressing toward a full return this season.

Meanwhile, Kansas City awaits the return of Trey Smith to the practice field. Smith has not participated in OTAs thus far and will likely not take part in any voluntary program.

But Chiefs fans should fear not. There is no animosity to be found on either side. Instead, Smith is taking the time as a sort of preservation while he and the team work through some other matters.

The Chiefs placed the franchise tag on Smith during free agency, making sure their top offensive lineman stayed in town. However, they have until July 15 to agree to terms on a long term deal.

If not, Smith will play out his temporary one-year, $23.4 million deal with the Chiefs and become a free agent in 2026. All indications from the Chiefs side are that they want to avoid that situation entirely.

For now, Smith is not in a place to take risks and fans should not expect to see him through the rest of these voluntary sessions. Chiefs’ mandatory minicamp runs from June 17 through 19.

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ most important free agent at the start of the offseason was Trey Smith and while they have retained him through the use of the franchise tag, both sides have a timer on getting a long term deal done.

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