The Chicago Bears will be on a mission to completely rebuild their offensive line during the 2025 offseason, and one potential free agent target, Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith, appears to have the interest of numerous pundits.
In his December 6 mock of the 2025 offseason, Windy City Gridiron lead draft analyst Jacob Infante made a number of predictions regarding how the Bears will rebuild their squad for the 2025 season, including the organization paying top cash for Smith’s services.
He anticipated that the Bears will sign Smith to a four-year, $74.2 million contract, making him the NFL’s third-highest-paid guard in terms of average yearly value.
“Smith has made himself some money this year, and the Chiefs might not have the long-term assets to be able to afford him with significant cap space already being used across their offensive line,” Infante pointed out. “In this hypothetical, he reunites with Ryan Poles, who was part of the Kansas City [front office] that drafted him.”
Infante is not the first to anticipate that the Bears will pursue Smith in free agency. Following the departure of offensive coordinator Shane Waldron on November 18, Bleacher Report’s NFL Scouting Department ranked Smith as Chicago’s top free agent target for 2025, citing the 25-year-old’s potential to become a “franchise building block.”
The Bears have approximately $61.8 million in anticipated salary space for 2025, allowing them to make an aggressive, long-term deal offer to Smith if he enters free agency. They would also have every incentive to make him a major priority, given that both of their 2024 starting guards, Teven Jenkins and Matt Pryor, are pending free agents. However, there is one stumbling block that the Bears may face in their pursuit of Smith.
Trey Smith Makes Sense, but Will the Chiefs Let Him Go?
The Bears would not have to consider the value of signing Smith in free agency. Over the past four seasons with the Chiefs, the 25-year-old guard has risen from former sixth-round pick to rising NFL superstar, playing a critical role.
role in keeping quarterback Patrick Mahomes safe as they won back-to-back Super Bowl championships. Smith also played some of his best football in 2024. According to Pro Football Focus, he has allowed no sacks and only five quarterback hits in 571 pass-blocking snaps this season. He is also one of the league’s finest run-blocking guards, with the 12th-highest PFF grade (79.8) among 125 other eligible NFL guards. After missing out on Nate Davis, the Bears can’t afford to be cheap when it comes to rebuilding their offensive line, and Smith would provide a Grade-A option. The real question, however, is whether the Chiefs will allow Smith to enter free agency.
Over the cap projects, the Chiefs
They have about $5.7 million in cap space for 2025, but they can produce more by cutting veterans or restructuring contracts. For example, removing superstar tight end Travis Kelce would free up $17.25 million for the Chiefs, which they could then spend on Smith. Who else may the Bears pursue in 2025 free agency?
Smith would be a big-fish target for the Bears in 2025 free agency, but if the Chiefs re-sign him, their chances of strengthening their offensive line remain alive.
Infante also predicted that Atlanta Falcons center Drew Dalman will sign with the Bears to replace Coleman Shelton as their starter. Dalman has received top grades as a run-blocker (89.1) and overall.
(85.3) from Pro Football Focus through the first 14 games of the 2024 season, both of which place him fourth among league centers. If the Bears opt to sign their next center rather than pick him, Dalman fits the bill. Jenkins, the Bears’ current starting left guard and a 2021 second-round pick, is also available as a free agency. While Jenkins has missed 21 games due to injuries in his first four seasons in Chicago, he has been an above-average starting guard for the Bears when healthy and has the potential to develop into a top interior protector. If the Bears can see past his injury issues, they might just pay him to stay.
Right guards Zack Martin and Brandon Scherff, and center Ryan Kelly could possibly appeal to the Bears as they look for methods to improve their offensive line for the 2025 season.
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