As the Detroit Lions continue to build a championship-contending roster, they may be looking to upgrade their offensive line in the 2025 NFL offseason. According to Bleacher Report, the Lions are among the teams that could be in the running to sign Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith, who is currently ranked as the No. 2 free agent for 2025 by ESPN’s Matt Bowen and Jeremy Fowler.
Smith, who is considered one of the best interior offensive linemen in the NFL, has been a standout for the Chiefs. Pro Football Focus (PFF) rated him as the eighth-highest-graded guard (81.5) heading into the weekend, and with good reason. At just 25 years old, Smith’s impressive performance has placed him among the top players at his position.
However, signing Smith will come at a cost. As Fowler notes, there’s a strong expectation that Smith could become the highest-paid guard in the NFL, with top contracts currently sitting at $21.5 million per year. Given his high caliber of play, it’s expected that Smith will command a significant contract when he hits the open market.
With the Lions projected to have around $53.6 million in cap space for the upcoming offseason, according to Over The Cap, they could be in a strong position to pursue Smith. If the Lions decide to go after Smith, they would be looking to replace guard Kevin Zeitler and further solidify their offensive line for the future.
Teams with most projected cap room for 2025 (51 man roster, $272.5M cap+carryover):
1. Patriots- $125M
2. Cardinals- $101M
3. Raiders- $98.7M
4. Commanders- $82.9M
5. Bears- $67.8M
6. Vikings- $65.1M
7. Chargers- $62.5M
8. Jaguars- $56.5M
9. Bengals- $55.6M
10. Lions- $53.6M— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) November 13, 2024
As the offseason approaches, the prospect of adding a player of Smith’s caliber would only strengthen the Lions’ already promising roster.
