3 Pending 2025 Free Agents the Chiefs Should Find Replacements For in NFL Draft
By Joe Summers
Brett Veach has consistently identified players a year early to replace future free agents. He routinely plans for the future and the Chiefs have a number of prominent pending free agents coming up after the 2024-25 season.
Thus, as we're contemplating who Kansas City might draft in a couple of weeks, it's important to think about what holes the team might have in the future. 2023 first-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah is a good example of Veach's strategy, as Felix's real impact likely won't be felt until after this season barring unexpected injuries.
The Chiefs have a lot of options in the 2024 draft, so let's look at three pending 2025 free agents that Veach should consider finding a replacement for now.
3 Pending 2025 Free Agents the Chiefs Should Replace Now
1. Trey Smith - RG
Trey Smith is beloved by the fanbase and helps give the Chiefs one of the NFL's best interior offensive lines as a whole. However, he'll be an unrestricted free agent after this season and it feels unlikely that Veach breaks the bank to keep him.
Creed Humphrey, Nick Bolton, Trent McDuffie and George Karlaftis will all need new contracts soon, and Joe Thuney's deal only has a couple of years left too. That's a lot of impactful players, so Smith might price himself out of the Chiefs' range if he keeps up this level of play.
How a WWE Title and Chiefs' Trey Smith brought calm in a tragedy
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 9, 2024
Reported by Tom Rinaldi, produced by Dan Pucherelli, Holly Mitchell, Ty Schadt pic.twitter.com/8hvb0qzTwt
He was a hero in the tragic shooting during the Super Bowl parade, and his tenacious style on the field endears him to Kansas City too. Given his age and impact on the field though, Smith will likely command a hefty contract from someone in need of a guard.
It's possible the Chiefs choose to sign Smith, but it's overwhelmingly likely that at least one of Smith or Thuney will be playing elsewhere in 2025-26.
Thus, I expect Kansas City to stronger consider taking a guard to start developing behind Smith. If the former sixth-round pick gets a contract worthy of his play next year, whoever the Chiefs draft now can be prepared to take over the starting role.
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