THE Kansas City Chiefs are at risk of losing one of their star players.

After the 2025 season, Patrick Mahomes could be without one of his best pass protectors.

Offensive lineman Trey Smith is coming off of the best year of his NFL career in 2024.

He made the Pro Bowl for the first time in the final year of his rookie contract.

However, he didn’t earn a contract extension. The Chiefs instead opted to use the franchise tag on Smith.

The franchise tag doesn’t stop a star player from signing a long-term deal though.

Smith can sign on to an extension with the Chiefs, but he has to do so by a certain date.

If the Chiefs don’t extend Smith by Tuesday, he cannot sign a long-term extension with them.

July 15 is the last day that franchise-tagged players can sign long-term extensions.

If he doesn’t get a deal, Smith will play in 2025 on a $23.4 million, fully guaranteed deal.

Smith is a star offensive lineman for the Chiefs and one of the top young talents on the team.

He has only missed one game in his four-year NFL career, and is the kind of player the Chiefs should try to keep around.

The biggest sign of encouragement is that Smith wants to play for the Chiefs.

He didn’t hold out on signing his franchise tag, and is ready to play in 2025 no matter what type of contract he is on.

Superstar Chiefs defensive lineman Chris Jones commended Smith for doing so.

“Well, it’s good Trey didn’t take my approach,” Jones said.

“Trey’s doing the right thing, man. Don’t take no advice from me. I did things a little different.

“Trey, you in a good place.”

The Chiefs currently have around $11 million in cap space on their roster.

By signing Smith to an extension, they could potentially free up more of that money based on how they distribute the money.

Regardless of what they want to do, it needs to be decided on by Tuesday or else Smith plays the year on a fully-guaranteed deal.