Former Tennessee Vols offensive lineman Trey Smith is in a unique situation entering the 2024 NFL season.
Smith, a sixth round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2021 NFL Draft, is entering the final season of his rookie contract -- which has been one of the best values in NFL history.
The former Vol has played a like a first round pick since getting drafted in 2021. He's a key starter for the Chiefs and he's earned the trust/respect of teammates like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce.
Kansas City is reportedly going to try to extend Smith -- who earned just $2.5 million during his first three years in the NFL -- before the start of the 2024 season (Smith is set to earn $3.3 million in 2024). But there's no guarantee that a deal will be worked out.
That's because Smith, according to The Athletic , could be the top free agent guard next spring if he doesn't sign an extension with the Chiefs. And that means he could be looking at a potential free agent deal worth north of $20 million annually.
From The Athletic : Retaining Smith, though, could be a more expensive negotiation for the Chiefs. If the Chiefs can’t agree to an extension with Smith and he excels this season, with consistent production while limiting his penalties, he could be the top free agent at his position next spring, potentially earning an annual average of more than $20 million. The league’s highest-paid right guard is the Atlanta Falcons’ Chris Lindstrom, who has an average annual salary of $20.5 million.
Smith says he's not thinking about his contract, instead opting to focus on simply doing his job.
“I don’t look at all that stuff, man,” said Smith ( via The Athletic ). “I worry about what my coaches tell me, how they feel about me. If I do my job at a high level, everything else is going to take care of itself. I just have to keep working.”
That's not a surprising response from Smith, a player who plays the game with tremendous effort and passion. But the contract stuff will eventually need to be dealt with. And Smith has a chance to sign a contract for life-changing money.
Will he give the Chiefs a "discount" and sign an early extension? Or will he go to free agency and try to maximize his earnings?
Smith can continue to play with Mahomes, the best quarterback in the NFL, or he can try to earn as much money as possible.
It's not an easy call for the former Vol. It'll certainly be interesting to see how it plays out for Smith. One thing, however, is certain -- Tennessee fans couldn't be happier for the former Vol and the way his NFL career has turned out.
Related: Former Tennessee Vols HC Jeremy Pruitt makes honest admission about returning to coach at the high school level
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