Cross One Free Agent Off the Vikings’ List
Unless he’s traded via the franchise tag, Kansas City Chiefs offensive guard Trey Smith will not become a Minnesota Viking in 2025.
Cross One Free Agent Off the Vikings’ List
Before Thursday’s development, Smith was slated to hit open free agency in 11 days, where he would’ve fetched a contract worth at least $20 million per season. But he isn’t going anywhere.
NFL Network‘s Ian Rapoport tweeted, “The Chiefs are planning to franchise tag star guard Trey Smith, sources say. An intriguing move, as KC keeps one of its best players for $23.4M on a 1-year, fully guaranteed deal.”
ESPN’s Adam Schefter provided more context: “The highest-paid guard in the NFL is Philadelphia’s Landon Dickerson at $21 million per year. The franchise tag for offensive linemen, projected just under $24 million, surpasses that by a few million— making Trey Smith the highest-paid guard in football.”
So, if the Vikings were interested in Smith, they’ll have to examine a Plan B or inquire about Smith’s trade value, which is assured to be through the roof. Vikings fans can reasonably cross Smith off the free-agent list as a 2025 solution.
Now what? Well, Minnesota can roll with its in-house options, including Blake Brandel, under contract for the next two seasons, Ed Ingram, a player entering the final year of his rookie deal, or Dalton Risner, who started the season’s final eight games in 2024.
Otherwise, Smith isn’t the only free-agent guard on the market. General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could pursue one of these veterans:
- Mekhi Becton (Guard)
- Kevin Zeitler (Guard)
- Will Fries (Guard)
- Brandon Scherff (Guard)
- Teven Jenkins (Guard)
And in the 2025 NFL Draft, where Adofo-Mensah owns just four picks, these are the options:
- Tyler Booker (Alabama)
- Jonah Savaiinaea (Arizona)
- Armand Membou (Missouri)
- Donovan Jackson (Ohio State)
- Grey Zabel (North Dakota State)
Earlier this month, Star Tribune’s Ben Goessling called Smith a realistic free-agent target for the Vikings. KFAN’s Paul Allen asked Goessling about the realism of Smith signing in Minnesota, and he replied, “I think they’ll be pretty aggressive for players like that. He’s probably at the top of the guard market, which will be expensive. But I think they are going to make a big priority of going after a guard.”
“And I think they would have a lot of interest in getting a guy like him in here. So I would expect they’d be involved if he makes it to the market, which he might, because the Chiefs have other guys to sign. I think it’s very possible that they get in the mix for him.”
But the dream is dead. Smith won’t be a Viking, nor will he join the Chicago Bears, a team that frequented Smith’s possible landing spots in the rumor mill.
Free agency is 11 days away.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. The show features guests, analysis, and opinion on all things related to the purple team, with 4-7 episodes per week. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band). He follows the NBA as closely as the NFL.
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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