Andy Reid, Brett Veach tackle offensive line forward of Mix

For the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs, essentially the most urgent offseason questions encompass the offensive line that was manhandled and embarrassed in Tremendous Bowl LIX.

Talking from the NFL Scouting Mix in Indianapolis on Tuesday, head coach Andy Reid and common supervisor Brett Veach touched on two of them.

The primary is guard Trey Smith — the crew’s sixth-round choice in 2021 — who is ready for unrestricted free company in three weeks. Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com not too long ago ranked Smith because the league’s second-best pending free agent in all positions.

Earlier on Tuesday, The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reported that the Chiefs have been making a push to maintain Smith in-house earlier than free company’s “legal tampering” interval begins on March 10.

“If you had asked me even the day before the Super Bowl, ‘Tell me where Trey Smith is going to go,’ I probably would have said New England,” mentioned Russini. “I would have picked a team that I know needs offensive line. But from what I can gather, Kansas City is making it a priority to try to keep him. I think they’re going to try to get a long-term deal down with him. I think they’re going to make every effort. So, we’ll see if they’re going to be able to get that done.”

Veach’s remarks all however confirmed Russini’s report, stating that he had already been in contact with Smith’s illustration — Jimmy Sexton and Tory Dandy of Inventive Arts Company.

Picture by Jamie Squire/Getty Photographs

“He obviously would be at the top of the list,” the GM mentioned of Smith. “We’ve already had some good dialogue with him and with CAA and Tory and Jimmy and his crew. So, obviously a lot to work through, but this is the time of the year to do that. Again, we’ve already had some initial dialogue, and that will continue on this week and in the days to come leading up [to] free agency. We’ll certainly do what we can — and we feel pretty optimistic about our possibilities there.”

The second main query on the offensive line is at left deal with. Reid didn’t have any definitive solutions in his feedback Tuesday, reiterating that the Chiefs are within the technique of evaluating blindside blocking choices.

“We try to look at everything,” the coach defined. “Having just finished here a little bit ago, we’re going through that whole process. So we’ll try to improve in general as a football team. [Left tackle] will be one of the spots we look at, for sure.”

One possibility that doesn’t look like on the desk is guard Joe Thuney persevering with to play left deal with, as he did on the finish of Kansas Metropolis’s common season and through the playoff run. Reid harassed that Thuney could be shifting again to protect, the place he’s earned first-team All Professional nods prior to now two seasons.

Picture by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Photographs

“Joe’s a natural guard,” famous Reid. “That’s really what his position was. By the graciousness of his heart, he stepped out and played tackle for us — and what a job he did. But I think you move [him] back inside — and he goes back to what he does best.”

Reid declined to verify or deny {that a} beginning left deal with possibility for 2025 is at the moment on the roster.

“We’re keeping everything wide open there,” he reiterated. “As we do this thing — and really digging in on what’s available potentially in free agency [and] what’s available in the draft — it’s probably too early to really go there, but that’s a position that we’re looking at for sure.”

Because the crew additionally faces uncertainty on the line of defense, Veach harassed that each strains shall be a precedence because the offseason unfolds. The larger query would be the choices that shall be out there.

“We’re always investing in the offensive and defensive lines,” mentioned Veach. “It’s just a few years you may have extra numbers to work with than others. That [will] most likely be an identical problem this yr; it’s simply arising with some completely different, distinctive plans.

“But I think our priority is always on the fronts first — and this year will be no different.”