The Chicago Bears will have money to spend when 2025 NFL free agency opens in three weeks, but they are still waiting to see which pending free agents will forego new deals with their current teams and test the open market.
Some of the top projected free agents will likely sign contract extensions with their respective teams before the new league year officially begins on March 12. Others — such as Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins — could receive one-year franchise-tag deals to keep them in place for the 2025 season.
As far as the franchise tags go, though, the Bears might be in luck given that one of the best fits for them in free agency will expectedly avoid the tag.
According to The Athletic's Nate Taylor, the expectation is that the Kansas City Chiefs will not use the franchise tag or transition tag on Pro Bowl right guard Trey Smith — who would be one of the top available talents if allowed to walk.
Smith allowed zero sacks on 708 pass-blocking snaps while protecting Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the 2024 season and finished as one of Pro Football Focus' highest-graded run-blocking guards (80.8), standing out as one of the finest interior offensive linemen in the league.
Smith is also just 25 years old, making him an ideal building block for a team looking to rebuild the foundation of its offensive line, such as the Bears.
The question now is whether the Chiefs will sign Smith to an extension.
While Smith dodging the franchise tag is objectively good news for the Bears and any other team seeking offensive line help in free agency, the Chiefs can still pop their dreams like a balloon if they retain him on a long-term deal.
ESPN's Dan Graziano believes Smith will push for the top of the NFL's guard market with his next contract, predicting in January that he will sign a $105 million deal that will tie him for first among guards in average annual value.
The Bears could easily afford such a high-priced contract with the sixth-most cap space (about $69 million), but so too could the Chiefs if they believe Smith to be an integral part of their efforts to return to the Super Bowl next season.
For now, all the Bears can do is accept the good tag news for what it is and hope that the Chiefs will give them a shot at Smith in March.
