Chiefs Information: Extending Creed Humphrey & Trey Smith recognized as wants

On Thursday, longtime NFL author Aaron Schatz — now with ESPN — revealed an article describing another transfer each NFL workforce ought to make earlier than the season begins.

For the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, Schatz proposed extending the contracts of two starters chosen within the 2021 NFL Draft.

Prolong middle Creed Humphrey and proper guard Trey Smith

This one is fairly simple. The Chiefs might have the perfect inside offensive line within the league now that Jason Kelce has retired, however each Humphrey and Smith see their contracts finish after the 2024 season. Kansas Metropolis must lock down its offensive line for the subsequent few years and maintain Humphrey and Smith by their primes.

Takeaway

It’s inconceivable to argue that Humphrey or Smith haven’t earned the chance for a second NFL contract. The one query is whether or not the Chiefs would be the workforce to supply it.

Rodney Hudson and Mitch Morse — the final two second-round facilities Kansas Metropolis has acquired — signed huge contracts with new groups after their rookie contracts ended. After permitting Hudson to signal with the Oakland Raiders in 2015, basic supervisor John Dorsey chosen Morse in that spring’s draft. Brett Veach permitted Morse to signal with the Buffalo Payments in 2019, filling the place with free brokers till he took Humphrey in 2021.

Smith’s choice in 2021’s sixth spherical was proof that Veach didn’t essentially consider he wanted to make use of a excessive draft decide to accumulate a high quality participant — though Smith was a particular case. His draft inventory had plummeted after being identified with a medical situation. Earlier than that, the final time the Chiefs had an early-round guard coming off a rookie contract was Jeff Allen in 2016. That yr, Dorsey allowed Allen to leap to the Houston Texans — however two seasons later, Veach introduced Allen again as a reserve participant.

So there’s not a variety of historical past suggesting that Kansas Metropolis will lengthen the contracts of both Humphrey or Smith. The workforce additionally drafted two inside gamers in 2024: Penn State middle Hunter Nourzad and Holy Cross guard C.J. Hanson. The Chiefs might want to attend and see what they’ve in these two gamers earlier than extending Humphrey or Smith.

So whereas Schatz appropriately identifies Humphrey and Smith as gamers who will proceed to play within the NFL, it’s not sure the Chiefs will lengthen their contracts — both earlier than or after the season.