The Kansas City Chiefs, specifically on the offensive side of the ball, need to get better in 2025.

But even as coach Andy Reid’s team will need to make some significant strides heading into next season, they also need to keep the foundation of the team at present in place.

And on Friday they officially did just that.

The offensive line has become one of the main priorities given the team’s completely lacking ability to protect Patrick Mahomes against an elite pass rushing unit.

This became more pertinent with rising star right guard Trey Smith ready to hit free agency. If he reached the market, Smith would presumably demand a significant pay bump with suitors lined up to bring him in.

However, the Chiefs have come to a decision and that will not be a problem for the franchise for at least one more season.

Kansas City has placed the franchise tag on Smith, keeping him in town for the 2025 season. His tag totals out to a one-year $23.4 million deal, according to NFL media’s Ian Rapoport. The deal will be fully guaranteed.

The team will have until July 15 to discuss a long-term contract with Smith who will play on his tender if a deal is not reached by that time. While this is not the extensive deal Smith may have hoped for, the $23.4 million figure essentially positions him to be the highest paid player at his position.

Smith has proven extremely reliable for the Chiefs, playing in 67 of a possible 68 games in his first four seasons. He has not missed a postseason game in the franchise’s recent dynastic run.

He earned his first spot in the Pro Bowl last season and has two Super Bowl wins under his belt.

The Chiefs were set to have some cap restraints heading into the offseason with $7.9 million in projected cap space. This temporarily clears the way for the team to focus on either retaining other free agents or seeking out new talent for next year’s team.