Broncos Hope to Capitalize On Injury to Chiefs Key Guard

The Denver Broncos are facing the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1 on Sept. 14, and the Chiefs have been facing an unsettled situation in their offensive line. Trey Smith is a big part of it, and he’s missed five games last year due to a combination of back spasms and ankle injuries. The key guard triggered some alarm bells when he began experiencing hip problems in training camp, according to a report from Charean Williams of Pro Football Talk. 

Smith wound up missing two preseason games, which isn’t a big deal, but the Chiefs were relieved to see Smith make the usual veteran cameo in their preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks. 

“I just don’t like putting my teammates in a position where now they’re having to take extra reps or for me to leave my team hanging and not being at my best,” Smith said Thursday, via Pete Sweeney of the Kansas City Star. 

“A lot of times I’m a little hardheaded in that regard, because if I’m not at my best, it’s not the best thing for the team. There are other guys that are willing and able to do it. But I’ve just always sort of been a guy that’s like, ‘If I’m able to go, I’m going to try to go and give as much as I have, regardless.’”

Having Smith available is a big deal for the Chiefs, especially given the uncertainty they’ve been experiencing across their offensive line. Josh Simmons has been struggling with a back problem, and Kahlil Benson has struggled lately after being penciled in as a possible starter early in camp. 

The return of offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been a big part of Smith’s approach in camp, as Bieniemy is known for preaching responsibility and accountability. 

“It’s just part of the job and part of the responsibility,” Smith said. “And like [Eric Bieniemy] says, ‘[Expletive], we signed up for it.’ So at the end of the day, I signed a contract, so it’s my job to be out there. A lot of times I’m not out there, I feel like I’m not doing my job and letting my team down and . . . [letting down] me, my coaches. And that’s just something [where] I don’t really like that feeling whatsoever.”

The Broncos might be ideally positioned to be capitalized on this. If defensive tackle Zach Allen can consistently win this matchup, Denver will be able to make sure that quarterback Patrick Mahomes has a very long day indeed.