It was the lone blemish on a thrilling afternoon for Chiefs Kingdom. However, the concern for Trey Smith is beginning to last well after the aftermath of the Kansas City Chiefs' lopsided Week 7 win.
When the Chiefs went into victory formation with well over two minutes left on the clock in their victory over the Las Vegas Raiders, the conversations surrounding the game were concentrated on the team's dominance. From the magic of Patrick Mahomes to the return of Rashee Rice to the clinic put on by the Chiefs' defense, the mood was celebratory all around.
Lost for at least a short moment was the news that starting right guard Trey Smith had exited the game with back pain. It was tough to see in the moment, to be sure, but the Chiefs put up a historic win over a division rival that night, so the spotlight on the injury was short-lived.
Fast forward one week, however, and the storyline has changed. Smith sat out the Chiefs' win over the Washington Commanders in Week 8 after missing a full week of practice due to back spasms. Even with an extra day of rest with Monday Night Football on the schedule, the Pro Bowl lineman still wasn't ready to go for Kansas City.
The Chiefs were able to rout the Commanders without him, but Trey Smith is still clearly missed inside.
The Chiefs ended up going with Mike Caliendo on the right side next to Creed Humphrey in Smith's place. Hunter Nourzad was the backup waiting in the wings, and the Chiefs also promoted C.J. Hanson from the practice squad for added depth.
After watching the offense stall in the first half, and after Caliendo was overwhelmed at times up front, Smith's back injury is going to turn into a much larger conversation going forward. That's due to both his cost and his importance.
Smith signed a lucrative contract extension just two months ago, a resetting of the guard market with a four-year deal with $70 million in guaranteed money and $94 million in potential earnings. It was a well-deserved pay raise after providing the Chiefs with a major discount along the offensive front. For years, Smith was providing good and then great starter's reps as an ironman interior lineman while earning sixth-round pay.
But there's a worry that comes with back problems for those playing in the trenches, as those issues can often linger for bigger linemen. Smith has been a model of consistency up front for the Chiefs in his four NFL seasons, both in performance and availability. At just 26 years of age, Smith gave K.C. every reason to make such an investment.
It's heartening, to be sure, that the Chiefs were able to put away the Commanders in Week 8 by getting their act together in the second half. Adjustments were made, and Caliendo and company looked better, and K.C. ultimately routed Washington by a final of 28-7. However, offensive line play was a mess early on, which is partially why the game was so close at halftime.
Going forward, Smith's status is going to be a larger talking point knowing how much he brings to the field and how hard it is for the Chiefs to replace him. They got past the Commanders and they might even be able to edge the Buffalo Bills on a short week before hitting the bye. But everyone is hoping that Smith's able to return sooner than later because the talent differential is very noticeable inside.