The Chicago Bears are expected to be major players in free agency this spring. With new head coach Ben Johnson and over $62 million in cap room to play with, general manager Ryan Poles will have plenty of resources to upgrade Chicago’s roster in 2025.
With teams making their final preparations for free agency, improving the roster could be harder than it seems. But the Bears received some great news when it comes to one of their biggest targets and it could help him land in Chicago when free agency opens.
Chiefs Won’t Tag Bears Free Agent Target Trey Smith
According to The Athletic’s Nate Taylor, the Kansas City Chiefs are not expected to place the franchise tag or the transition tag on pending free agent Trey Smith. Taylor hypothesized that the Chiefs will look to keep the 25-year-old with a four-to-five year contract that will make him one of the highest-paid guards in the league but the decision not to tag him opens the door for a team like the Bears.
Chicago has plenty of needs as they look for help at offensive tackle, edge rusher and safety coming into the offseason. But the pursuit of Smith seems to be the No. 1 target on their list. Smith was a sixth-round pick by the Chiefs in the 2021 NFL Draft and worked his way to becoming one of the best guards in the NFL, starting 67 of 68 games during his time in Kansas City.
After not allowing a sack in 655 pass-blocking snaps last season, Smith is Pro Football Focus’s No. 2 free agent in this year’s class behind Cincinnati Bengals receiver Tee Higgins.
While some may have Higgins higher, Smith is exactly what the Bears need. Caleb Williams had a solid rookie season, throwing for 3,541 yards, 20 touchdowns and six interceptions but he was also sacked 68 times. Both of the Bears starting guards, Teven Jenkins and Matt Pryor, are also free agents and Smith would represent a significant upgrade.
The lack of a tag also makes Chicago’s pursuit of Smith easier. If the Chiefs used the exclusive franchise tag on Smith, it would have guaranteed his return to Kansas City next time as he would be prohibited from signing an offer sheet. Even under the non-exclusive tag, the Bears would have to give up two first-round picks as compensation to sign Smith to an offer sheet.
The transitional tag also would have been an obstacle as the Chiefs could match any deal but it does not offer compensation if they would have declined the Bears’ offer.
Spotrac estimates Smith could command a four-year, $78.8 million contract in free agency but the Bears have the resources to make a deal happen – even if they have to overpay. A move could be similar to when Johnson watched Dan Campbell draft Penei Sewell as one of his first moves as head coach of the Detroit Lions and could provide a similar shift as Johnson takes over as head coach next season.