At a certain point, we must question whether things can ever go wrong for the Kansas City Chiefs.
It's been an unprecedented five-year run of success for Kansas City, and seemingly everything has gone exactly as needed in order to put wins on the board along the way. Leo Chenal's blocked field goal on Sunday to put the Chiefs at 9-0 for the season was just the latest example.
It's not as though the Chiefs are lucky, though--they've built a terrific roster. When you're this good, though, teams will likely look to poach that roster. And one star offensive lineman could be on his way out of Kansas City this winter in favor of another powerhouse team.
Chiefs right guard Trey Smith, who has blossomed into one of the very best at his position, is in the final year of his rookie contract. Bleacher Report's NFL Scouting Department predicted Monday that Smith would sign with the NFC-leading Detroit Lions in free agency.
"Detroit will likely be in the market for a guard this offseason, one way or another," the authors said. "Smith is one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL as Pro Football Focus had him as the eighth-highest-graded guard (81.5) heading into the past weekend."
"While the 25-year-old who turns 26 in June will command top dollar on the open market, the Lions are currently projected to have about $65 million of cap space available this offseason, per Over The Cap."
Smith has been an integral part of the two most recent Chiefs Super Bowls, providing a sturdy presence while missing just one game in four years. He is currently projected for a four-year, $75 million contract (per Spotrac), which would make him one of the highest-paid guards in league history.
The Lions arguably have football's best offensive line already, so adding a star talent like Smith would give Detroit an enormous advantage in the trenches. Smith would be tough to replace, but the path to keeping him is simple: outbid the Lions or any other suitors this spring.
