The LA Chargers (partially) fixed their offensive line problem by signing one of the Philadelphia Eagles' most important players during the team's Super Bowl run, right guard Mekhi Becton. To follow that up, the Kansas CIty Chiefs have rewarded one of the players who cost the team in the Super Bowl.
The Chiefs signed guard Trey Smith to a four-year contract worth up to $94 million with $70 million guaranteed. It is the most expensive guard contract ever given out in the NFL.
Smith was once a pipe-dream target for Chargers fans before he was franchise tagged by the Chiefs earlier this offseason. However, a porous run in the NFL Playoffs quickly turned Chargers fans off of Smith, and now makes it seem like the Bolts got the far better deal.
Trey Smith's Chiefs deal proves the Chargers got great value on Mekhi Becton
For context, the Chargers are essentially paying Becton half of what the Chiefs will pay Smith in 2025. Becton signed a two-year, $20 million contract with the Chargers that carries a $7.3 million cap hit in 2025. That is quite the bargain for someone who was just instrumental in a Super Bowl run.
To be fair, both guards struggled in the playoffs. According to Pro Football Focus, Becton allowed nine pressures in 120 pass-blocking snaps during the playoffs. PFF grades aren't everything, but that earned him a 48.5 pass-blocking grade. Ouch.
Smith's grade was even worse. The Chiefs' guard finished with a 40.8 pass-blocking grade while allowing eight pressures in 121 pass-blocking snaps. He wasn't the entire problem, but he certainly factored into the Eagles' success at getting to Patrick Mahomes during the Super Bowl.
Both players struggled in the playoffs. One is getting paid $10 million per season, the other just received record-setting money.
This isn't to say Becton is a definitively better player than Smith. That would be disingenous. It is fair to question how Becton will once he is away from the offensive line factory that is the Philadelphia Eagles.
However, if Becton continues his strong play from 2024, the gap between he and Smith really isn't that large. It definitely isn't big enough to go from $10 million a season to $23.5 million a season.
This is just another good example of smart roster building by Chargers GM Joe Hortiz. Overloading a roster with large contracts can be detrimental, just ask former GM Tom Telesco. Instead of chasing the biggest fish, Hortiz is finding the best value for his buck in free agency.
That allows the Chargers to invest in other areas to build up a roster that can challenge the Chiefs. Hopefully, this is just the first example of the Chargers getting the better of Kansas City.