In a little bit of a quirk, there actually aren’t that many teams looking for help at left tackle this offseason. Some teams are committed to younger players and seeing how they develop, while others have decent veterans already under contract.
For someone like Donovan Smith who’s a decent but not elite tackle coming off a rough year, partially due to injury, and turning 30 in June, it makes for a weird market.
This seems like a situation where an injury at some point this summer provides some clarity on a landing spot. Perhaps Smith considers a switch over to right tackle, as a lot more teams need help there. He’s played his entire career on the left side, so that’s probably a long shot though.
It’s worth mentioning that signing him to a contract won’t impact a team’s 2024 compensatory picks, given that he was released this offseason.
Smith, 29, is a former second-round pick of the Buccaneers back in 2015. He played out the final year of his four-year, $6.068 million contract before agreeing to a three-year, $41.25 million contract with the Buccaneers in 2019 that included $27 million fully guaranteed.
He was due to make a base salary of $15.25 million in 2023.
In 2022, Smith appeared in 13 games for the Buccaneers, making 13 starts for them at left tackle. Pro Football Focus had him rated as the No. 66 tackle out of 81 qualifying players.
We have him included in our Top 100 Available 2023 NFL Free Agents list.
Pittsburgh Steelers
If he doesn’t need assurances of a starting job, he would have some options. The Steelers like Dan Moore Jr. but he’s been 72nd and 57th according to PFF in the last two seasons.
Smith would provide veteran insurance as the Steelers rework their offensive line, and he might appreciate a return to the Northeast after going to college at Penn State and high school in Maryland.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have a young player they like too in 2022 third-round LT Bernhard Raimann. If they wanted veteran insurance for him in case he’s injured or doesn’t take a step forward, Smith would be the best available.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
And even though he was cut by the Buccaneers, a return to Tampa Bay might not be entirely out of the question if Smith is willing to sign a cheap deal. The Bucs have already kept a bunch of players they were expected to lose this offseason.
As things stand, they either need to shift RT Tristan Wirfs to the left side or go with someone like Brandon Walton or Justin Skule protecting QB Baker Mayfield‘s blindside. Smith would be a major upgrade over either.
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