Chiefs hope to extend Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and keep roster’s core intact
August 6, 2024
Chiefs hope to extend Creed Humphrey, Trey Smith and keep roster’s core intact
6 comments
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — They entered the NFL together, they became starters together and they became two-time champions together.
Center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith have become two of the biggest foundational players for the Kansas City Chiefs, their arrival on the roster in 2021 ushering in the second phase of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ illustrious career.
The last time Mahomes played an important game without Humphrey and Smith was Super Bowl LV, the night when the Chiefs’ makeshift offensive line — the result of multiple injuries that season — failed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ stellar collection of pass rushers. The Chiefs failed to score a touchdown and the constant pressure from the Buccaneers forced Mahomes to scramble repeatedly — running 497 yards before he released the ball, the most pre-throw and pre-sack yards run by any quarterback in any game that season, according to Next Gen Stats.
A few months later, the Chiefs, led by general manager Brett Veach, prioritized revamping the offensive line, selecting Humphrey in the second round and Smith in the sixth round.
With their rebuilt their interior protection around Mahomes, including signing left guard Joe Thuney in free agency, the Chiefs have become the league’s newest dynasty. They are the first franchise in two decades to win back-to-back championships, and they aim this season to accomplish an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl victory. Humphrey and Smith have been in the middle of the Chiefs’ success, each starting all 10 postseason games in the past three years.
“It’s something that we both dreamed of, and to be able to do it two years in a row, it’s almost unthinkable,” Humphrey said of celebrating the Chiefs’ comeback victory in Super Bowl LVIII with Smith, one his closest friends on the team. “It was crazy, it was awesome and we gave each other a big hug. It’s been fun to be able to do this with him throughout the past three years and hopefully many more.”
Humphrey and Smith don’t want this season to be their final one together. Both are entering the final year of their rookie contract, as Humphrey is set to earn $4.8 million this season while Smith will make $3.37 million, according to Over the Cap.
Throughout the next month — before the season opener Sept. 5 against the Baltimore Ravens — the Chiefs will attempt to sign Humphrey and Smith to lucrative contract extensions, a feat that Veach has yet to achieve this time of year in the previous six seasons during his tenure.
“Your hope is that everybody gets paid,” Mahomes said. “I tell Veach all the time: ‘You draft too well.’ It’s a good problem to have. I’m excited for those guys and it all gets handled in the right way. The hope is to keep this core together. I’ll have that flexibility in my contract to help get them some money as much as possible.”
Along with Humphrey and Smith, the Chiefs also want to sign linebacker Nick Bolton (entering the last year of his rookie contract) and kicker Harrison Butker (entering the final year of his contract) to multiyear extensions.
“They are three really good players and they’re fantastic people,” Veach said of Humphrey, Smith and Bolton. “Throughout this camp, hopefully, we’re able to get more than one done. It’s just going to be a systematic approach and exchange of communication. We would want nothing more than for them to be here (long term) and I’m sure they would want nothing more than to be here.”
It appears the Chiefs’ top priority is to see if they can continue to provide elite protection for Mahomes by retaining the services of Humphrey and Smith.
Most analysts, including Aaron Schatz, the chief analytics officer of FTN Network and inventor of DVOA, believe the Chiefs have the best trio of interior offensive linemen in the league. Humphrey, 25, has never missed a game in his career and is excellent in pass protection. Known for his tenacious run-blocking ability, Smith, 25, has missed only one game in his career.
“Creed and I have known each other since sophomore year of high school, so we’ve always been friends,” Smith said. “To be able to play with a guy and to have that continuity and chemistry together, it makes our jobs a lot easier. There’s a lot of things we don’t have to verbalize (before the ball is snapped). It’s been a huge help and it’s easy when you’re playing next to a talented player.”
Yes please.
Man I saw Trey smith at the river market in KC a few weeks ago. I didn’t want to bother him but I pointed him out to my son who said he was the strongest looking human he had ever seen. And man: fair. I hope we keep both for the long haul.
Everything else comes after that and can be drafted, patched, and piece-parted together.
I hope we can keep Trey Smith. Don’t see him asking for less than $25 million unless he’s willing to take a team friendly deal: he objectively deserves way more than Ragnow, Hunt or Meinerz.
Creed should be the first priority.
I don’t think they keep Trey smith unless they’re willing to let Bolton walk. Smith is going to command a 20+ million dollar contract due to the nature of his position. We can pay creed 15 and he’s resetting the market with that. Bolton isn’t the type of linebacker to be worth top of market money, but if the team wants to keep him they might unfortunately approach that higher end of 14+.
I just don’t think there’s room for all three when you realize mcduffie is going to need paid sooner than later.
Guard is an easier position to fill/ replace and the free agent market is just really high right now
I’d prefer they keep the line together but wouldn’t be surprised if they decide to keep Bolton instead.. as I think it’s easier to make him happy with a more “competitive” offer that’s not quite top of market. He has to know his limitations as a player. With smith you still have some hope he can grow as a pass blocker and clean up some of the penalties
6 comments
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — They entered the NFL together, they became starters together and they became two-time champions together.
Center Creed Humphrey and right guard Trey Smith have become two of the biggest foundational players for the Kansas City Chiefs, their arrival on the roster in 2021 ushering in the second phase of quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ illustrious career.
The last time Mahomes played an important game without Humphrey and Smith was Super Bowl LV, the night when the Chiefs’ makeshift offensive line — the result of multiple injuries that season — failed against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ stellar collection of pass rushers. The Chiefs failed to score a touchdown and the constant pressure from the Buccaneers forced Mahomes to scramble repeatedly — running 497 yards before he released the ball, the most pre-throw and pre-sack yards run by any quarterback in any game that season, according to Next Gen Stats.
A few months later, the Chiefs, led by general manager Brett Veach, prioritized revamping the offensive line, selecting Humphrey in the second round and Smith in the sixth round.
With their rebuilt their interior protection around Mahomes, including signing left guard Joe Thuney in free agency, the Chiefs have become the league’s newest dynasty. They are the first franchise in two decades to win back-to-back championships, and they aim this season to accomplish an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl victory. Humphrey and Smith have been in the middle of the Chiefs’ success, each starting all 10 postseason games in the past three years.
“It’s something that we both dreamed of, and to be able to do it two years in a row, it’s almost unthinkable,” Humphrey said of celebrating the Chiefs’ comeback victory in Super Bowl LVIII with Smith, one his closest friends on the team. “It was crazy, it was awesome and we gave each other a big hug. It’s been fun to be able to do this with him throughout the past three years and hopefully many more.”
Humphrey and Smith don’t want this season to be their final one together. Both are entering the final year of their rookie contract, as Humphrey is set to earn $4.8 million this season while Smith will make $3.37 million, according to Over the Cap.
Throughout the next month — before the season opener Sept. 5 against the Baltimore Ravens — the Chiefs will attempt to sign Humphrey and Smith to lucrative contract extensions, a feat that Veach has yet to achieve this time of year in the previous six seasons during his tenure.
“Your hope is that everybody gets paid,” Mahomes said. “I tell Veach all the time: ‘You draft too well.’ It’s a good problem to have. I’m excited for those guys and it all gets handled in the right way. The hope is to keep this core together. I’ll have that flexibility in my contract to help get them some money as much as possible.”
Along with Humphrey and Smith, the Chiefs also want to sign linebacker Nick Bolton (entering the last year of his rookie contract) and kicker Harrison Butker (entering the final year of his contract) to multiyear extensions.
“They are three really good players and they’re fantastic people,” Veach said of Humphrey, Smith and Bolton. “Throughout this camp, hopefully, we’re able to get more than one done. It’s just going to be a systematic approach and exchange of communication. We would want nothing more than for them to be here (long term) and I’m sure they would want nothing more than to be here.”
It appears the Chiefs’ top priority is to see if they can continue to provide elite protection for Mahomes by retaining the services of Humphrey and Smith.
Most analysts, including Aaron Schatz, the chief analytics officer of FTN Network and inventor of DVOA, believe the Chiefs have the best trio of interior offensive linemen in the league. Humphrey, 25, has never missed a game in his career and is excellent in pass protection. Known for his tenacious run-blocking ability, Smith, 25, has missed only one game in his career.
“Creed and I have known each other since sophomore year of high school, so we’ve always been friends,” Smith said. “To be able to play with a guy and to have that continuity and chemistry together, it makes our jobs a lot easier. There’s a lot of things we don’t have to verbalize (before the ball is snapped). It’s been a huge help and it’s easy when you’re playing next to a talented player.”
Yes please.
Man I saw Trey smith at the river market in KC a few weeks ago. I didn’t want to bother him but I pointed him out to my son who said he was the strongest looking human he had ever seen.
And man: fair.
I hope we keep both for the long haul.
Objective #1: Keep Mahomes
Objective #2: Protext Mahomes.
Everything else comes after that and can be drafted, patched, and piece-parted together.
I hope we can keep Trey Smith. Don’t see him asking for less than $25 million unless he’s willing to take a team friendly deal: he objectively deserves way more than Ragnow, Hunt or Meinerz.
Creed should be the first priority.
I don’t think they keep Trey smith unless they’re willing to let Bolton walk. Smith is going to command a 20+ million dollar contract due to the nature of his position. We can pay creed 15 and he’s resetting the market with that. Bolton isn’t the type of linebacker to be worth top of market money, but if the team wants to keep him they might unfortunately approach that higher end of 14+.
I just don’t think there’s room for all three when you realize mcduffie is going to need paid sooner than later.
Guard is an easier position to fill/ replace and the free agent market is just really high right now
I’d prefer they keep the line together but wouldn’t be surprised if they decide to keep Bolton instead.. as I think it’s easier to make him happy with a more “competitive” offer that’s not quite top of market. He has to know his limitations as a player. With smith you still have some hope he can grow as a pass blocker and clean up some of the penalties