Offensive Tackle Tyron Smith Listed as 'Free Agency Matchmaker' Option for KC Chiefs
An offseason ago, the Kansas City Chiefs made a somewhat shocking decision to not franchise tag left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. That allowed him to hit free agency and sign elsewhere, also forcing the team to pivot to something else. Two pickups — Donovan Smith and Wanya Morris — insulated the room, although this offseason once again contains more questions than solidified answers.
Smith is back on the open market, and Morris may not have done enough as a rookie to earn the outright starting role in 2024-25. Could a different Smith be a possible solution? One writer and outlet certainly believe so.
For CBS Sports, Jared Dubin played "free agency matchmaker" for every club in the AFC. When the Chiefs rolled around, his pick was longtime Dallas Cowboys left tackle Tyron Smith. Here's the reasoning behind it:
I wrote this one in pen as soon as reports emerged that Smith would not return to Dallas. It makes far too much sense for him to land in K.C. if that's the case. He can chase the long-awaited Super Bowl ring while the Chiefs get a top-tier tackle to protect Patrick Mahomes' blind side.
Smith, 33, is faced with the very real possibility of moving out of the only NFL city he's ever known for home games. The former first-round pick certainly lived up to his draft slot in 13 years with Dallas, making eight Pro Bowls and being named to the All-Pro first team twice. This past season, he was a second-team All-Pro.
Health and price, not performance, are the questions with Smith. After starting no fewer than 13 contests in each of his first nine seasons, he's averaged just under eight starts dating back to 2020. Neck, ankle, knee and hamstring injuries have limited him as he's approached and crossed over the age-30 threshold. Contract value is another debate; Pro Football Focus projects a one-year deal worth $10 million and Spotrac's calculated market value for Smith is $7.4M.
If the money is right and Smith can hold up through a grueling season — both major "if" propositions — then he'd be a very worthy investment. Among 2023-24 tackles who logged at least 20% of available maximum reps, he ranked fourth in PFF composite grade and was the best pass blocker of the group. Smith remains a top-shelf tackle and should enjoy another productive season with his next team.
Assuming Donovan Smith is out of the picture, Morris is currently in line to start at left tackle. He showed promise during a five-game stint relieving Smith due to injury, but he also experienced plenty of lows. Bringing in a solid veteran as competition, at the least, makes a ton of sense. In that scenario, the question then becomes whether Tyron Smith is more than just competition. That answer is likely yes.
One thing Smith has yet to do during his illustrious career is win a championship. No NFL club has recently proven to be more of a winner than the Chiefs. Would that be enough of a sweetener? In the event of either side being interested in the other, it surely wouldn't hurt. From Dubin's matchmaker perspective, it doesn't get much better than allowing Smith to protect Patrick Mahomes's blindside and pursue his first Super Bowl ring.
