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Seahawks’ best potential upgrade at guard taken off the board by Chiefs

The Seahawks’ attack will have a different look to it in 2025 for many reasons. A possible solution to the team’s offensive line issues is suddenly unavailable.
Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith (65) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Jan 26, 2025; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs guard Trey Smith (65) against the Buffalo Bills in the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Granted after the Chiefs’ offensive line was bullied by the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX, surely there are probably who think guard Trey Smith and any one of the five starters who suited up at the Superdome that day saw their stock drop a bit after the 40-22 loss. Obviously, Kansas City general manager Brett Veach was not one of them.

In four NFL seasons, the Chiefs' reliable right guard has missed just one game. Now that may not seem like a huge deal given his brief career, but it’s also worth noting that he is started every one of his 67 regular-season contest, along with 13 postseason games.

It’s likely the Seattle Seahawks and numerous other teams were looking to add a standout performer such as Smith to their offensive line. That’s all a moot point now.

A third-round pick in 2021 from the University of Tennessee, the 6’6”, 321-pound standout is currently the 14th-ranked guard in the league by Pro Football Focus. It’s worth noting that teammate Joe Thuney is seventh on PFF’s list. It’s also important to note that when it comes to run blocking, only eight players at his position have a higher grade than Smith.

Obviously, it would have ideal to add a Pro Bowl guard to an offensive front that was ranked as the No. 31 unit in the league in 2024 by PFF. To be realistic, given the Seahawks’ salary-cap situation, it would have taken a lot of work for general manager John Schneider and the team to make a reasonable offer to the 2024 Pro Bowler.

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Russell Baxter
RUSSELL BAXTER

Russell S. Baxter has been writing and researching the game of football for more than 40 years, and on numerous platforms. That includes television, as he spent more than two decades at ESPN, and was part of shows that garnered five Emmy Awards. He also spent the 2015 NFL season with Thursday Night Football on CBS/NFLN.