One of the Buffalo Bills’ biggest rivals made a massive extension signing yesterday that could really hurt them in the long run. The Kansas City Chiefs were able to come to an agreement with offensive guard Trey Smith on a four-year, $94 million deal with $70 million guaranteed which makes him the highest paid guard in the NFL, according to Ian Rapoport.
Giving this kind of money to an offensive lineman that isn’t a blindside protector is absolutely ridiculous. I get it, Smith is a fantastic player and was a major steal for the Chiefs as a 6th-round pick in 2021.
However, giving this kind of money to a guard is almost unheard of and the Chiefs are really banking on him keeping up his production to protect Patrick Mahomes.
At the same time, a team has to pay up for the talent especially since the Chiefs are in a big Super Bowl window.
The Bills have done a great job at negotiating contracts with some of their players that they have drafted over the years, such as Christian Benford and Terrel Bernard. Brandon Beane took care of them but the deals are team-friendly which helps the Bills moving forward to keep building the team outside of the NFL Draft. However, this Smith extension with the Chiefs could really put some pressure on the Bills if O’Cyrus Torrence plays at an All-Pro level in 2025.
O'Cyrus Torrence should have lots of motivation to exceed expectations to earn big extension
Torrence is entering the third year of his rookie contract and he doesn’t have a fifth-year option. So, the Bills will have to decide if they want to extend him after 2025 and if he takes a big step forward in production, the price might go up to pay him. Torrence has helped bring continuity for Buffalo’s offensive line and he has really been a solid player since being drafted out of Florida.
Sure, he’s had his struggling moments, but who hasn’t? While there is room for growth, you won’t hear anyone say that he is a liability in the trenches for the Bills.
The 2025 season is a big one for Torrence because if he earns Pro Bowl honors, or even becomes an All-Pro, who knows if the Bills would be willing to afford his services beyond his rookie deal. It’s a tricky game that the Bills might be entering if Torrence steps up even more this coming season.