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Free agent offensive tackle and reigning Super Bowl champion Donovan Smith has yet to find a home for the 2024 season. After spending the first eight years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the former first-round pick jumped ship and joined the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023. While the team won the Super Bowl with him as the starting left tackle, Smith himself wasn’t too special.
Starting in 12 games, the Penn State product finished the season with a 57.8 PFF grade, the 61st-best mark out of 81 eligible tackles. This came on the heels of a similarly disappointing 2022, so it’s easy to see why Donovan Smith has struggled to find a new team as a free agent.
However, while he might have dropped off a bit, he can still be an adequate short-term solution, as evidenced by the 2023 season. There aren’t enough good tackles to go around, and Dan Pizzuta of The 33rd Team believes that the Washington Commanders could sign Donovan Smith as a free agent.
Free Agent Donovan Smith Linked to Washington Commanders
While the entire body of work left something to be desired last year, Pizzuta notes that free agent Donovan Smith had some bright spots last year. Per the article, the offensive lineman finished the season ranked 17th in pass block win rate, but struggled to hold block beyond the first few seconds of the play.
Despite being one of the biggest spenders in free agency, the Washington Commanders could still use an offensive tackle. After surrendering a record number of sacks last year, the team parted ways with Charles Leno and currently has 2023 fourth-round pick Braeden Daniels set to start. Perhaps the former Day 3 pick can surprise, but it would make sense to add Donovan Smith as a free agent just in case Daniels isn’t up for the task.
Of course, this assumes that other teams won’t be fighting over the two-time Super Bowl champion. Once again, Donovan Smith is not the best offensive tackle in the world, but you could do worse than the free agent. Keeping a quarterback upright is one of the most important parts of building a team, and Smith would be an upgrade for these five teams.
Other Possible Fits
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints have arguably the worst tackle situation in the NFL. Trevor Penning looks like a bust, and Ryan Ramczyk might be unable to play in 2024. This would be bad news for any team, but it’s especially worrisome for the Saints. Derek Carr is one of the worst in the league against pressure, and the tackle situation could sink the entire offense. While the team will probably select a tackle early in the 2024 NFL Draft, Donovan Smith could be a perfect short-term free agent signing for a team that desperately needs to make a playoff run.
New England Patriots
Four of New England’s five offensive line positions are set in stone. The fifth one, however, is the most important. After mutually parting ways with Trent Brown, the Patriots do not have a clear solution to the left tackle position. With the team likely to use their first-round pick on a quarterback, they won’t be able to get one of the top blockers in this class. With this in mind, they should consider signing Donovan Smith as a free agent. Anyone who watched the Carolina Panthers last year knows that a rookie quarterback needs a positive environment to succeed, and Smith can do a better job of keeping New England’s rookie upright than Veridian Lowe can.
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys originally selected Tyler Smith to be the long-term replacement for Tyron Smith. Now that the future Hall of Famer is on the New York Jets, Tyler Smith will presumably move to left tackle after a Pro Bowl season at guard. In order to create the best all-around unit, the Cowboys could choose to sign Donovan Smith as a free agent and move Tyler Smith back to guard.
Baltimore Ravens
Up until this point in his career, free agent Donovan Smith has always played left tackle. However, he might have to switch sides if he wants to keep a starting job in 2024. The Ravens traded Morgan Moses to the Jets, creating a glaring need at right tackle. Patrick Mekari is currently set to start, but Baltimore should add some competition in case the versatile offensive lineman isn’t ready for full-time work.
Los Angeles Chargers
Jim Harbaugh is not happy with the current state of the Los Angeles Chargers offensive line. While Rashawn Slater is one of the best in the league, the right tackle position could use some help. Chances are, the Chargers will trade back in the 2024 NFL Draft and select a tackle, but Donovan Smith would be a good short-term signing as a free agent.
More must-reads:
- Browns' stance on Shedeur Sanders makes sense, but it exposes their limited options
- Frank Ragnow update fits troubling 2025 Lions pattern
- The 'Five game-winning-drives in a season' quiz
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TODAY'S BEST
Packers announce head-turning roster move one day after 2025 Lions sweep
Fresh off a Thanksgiving win on Thursday against the Detroit Lions on the road at Ford Field in Detroit, the Green Bay Packers made a notable move to reunite with kicker Lucas Havrisik. Green Bay parted ways with Havrisik just before the Lions game, but on Friday, the team announced that he’s back in the fold after getting signed to the practice squad roster. Via Green Bay’s official website: “The Green Bay Packers signed K Lucas Havrisik (HAVE-ruh-sick) to the practice squad. General Manager Brian Gutekunst announced the transaction Friday.” Lucas Havrisik insurance for now for the Packers It can be recalled that Havrisik saw action in three games in the 2025 NFL season for Green Bay in place of the then-injured Brandon McManus. In those games, the former Arizona Wildcats kicker went 4-for-4 on his field goals, including a franchise record-setting 61-yard make in Week 7’s 27-23 win in Glendale over the Arizona Cardinals. He was also 7-for-9 on extra-point attempts, with both misses happening in Week 11’s 27-20 victory against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford. McManus is healthy and perfect in the two games since he returned to action, so there is no reason for the Packers to give his spot to someone else so Havrisik will just be insurance for now for Green Bay, which has a Week 14 date with the Chicago Bears at Lambeau Field.
Connor McDavid made an egregious mistake with Oilers
Edmonton Oilers superstar Connor McDavid struggled to find the words to describe the team’s 8-3 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday night. The decision dropped the Oilers’ record to 10-10-5 for the season, and McDavid looked defeated during his postgame interview. The more things change, the more they stay the same for the Oilers. Why did Connor McDavid stay? The Oilers are grappling with the same issues that have plagued them since McDavid joined the NHL in the fall of 2015. Edmonton’s secondary offensive support for McDavid and Leon Draisaitl is minimal, and their goaltending remains a significant concern. Considering the Oilers have faced these problems for so long, it makes one wonder why a generational talent like McDavid chose to sign on for two more years of this, especially given the bargain he struck when he signed for just $12.5M a season. McDavid’s choice to sign with Edmonton before even considering free agency might become one of the biggest “what-ifs” in NHL history. However, McDavid opted for stability in a familiar market, with a team that has been competitive for most of his NHL career. Ultimately, McDavid decided to stay loyal to the Oilers, but the two-year term seemed like a warning shot to Edmonton. So far, that warning appears to have fallen on deaf ears. The timing of McDavid’s extension was quite unusual. The superstar had a clear route to unrestricted free agency, which could have been one of the most incredible stories in NHL history if it had come to pass. McDavid had the chance to be the highest-profile player in NHL history to reach free agency since Wayne Gretzky in 1996. He held leverage against the Oilers and could have waited out the season, sparking a bidding war for his services. This would have boosted his star power and changed what a superstar’s career could look like. Instead, McDavid chose familiarity, even though the timing of his decision wasn’t convenient. Connor McDavid's decision to re-sign could be costly McDavid’s signing has delayed his free agency by 24 months, and some people dismiss this decision by arguing that McDavid will still get paid and reach free agency after the salary cap has significantly increased. While both points have some truth, the counterargument is compelling. Instead of becoming a free agent at 29, McDavid will do so at 31. It might seem minor, but many NHLers see their skills decline after 30. Another factor is that when McDavid finally signs, the new CBA rules on contract length will apply, meaning the maximum deal with his current team will be seven years, and he’ll only be able to land six years on the open market. Although this one-year reduction isn’t a significant issue, it will likely cause McDavid to leave money on the table on his next deal. In terms of missed opportunities, McDavid would have been the first generational player in NHL free agency to test the market in the prime of his career. While it would have made great theater for the NHL, it would also have been an opportunity for McDavid to shift the league’s balance of power toward whichever team he joined, while helping reset the salary structure for superstar NHLers. McDavid is clearly not a $12.5M player, but like many top NHLers before him, he took a "hometown discount" to stay with his current team. For some NHLers, taking that discount has worked out well (Sidney Crosby, Steven Stamkos, Nathan MacKinnon). Far more often, the savings from a reduced salary cap are wasted. Even Crosby, who traded tens of millions of dollars to play on consistently competitive teams, saw many of those seasons marred by costly mistakes on depth players with inflated cap hits (Jack Johnson, Erik Gudbranson, Nick Bjugstad). Crosby essentially subsidized poor roster decisions with his lower cap hits, and he would no doubt do so again, given the Stanley Cup championships Pittsburgh has won during his career. McDavid’s decision to re-sign essentially upholds the NHL’s long-standing tradition of superstars taking less money to stay with their team, and no doubt he did so while feeling loyalty to the Oilers fans who have endured the same heartbreaks he has. The reality is, McDavid has gone through a decade without winning the Cup, despite multiple front-office makeovers, coaching changes, cap mismanagement and an inability to surround him with real depth. And while the depth has improved over the last few years, the “we’re almost there” mentality won’t put a Stanley Cup ring on McDavid’s finger. All of this to say, McDavid probably owed it to himself to explore free agency at least to see if a team with a more precise winning blueprint could emerge, giving him a better chance at a title. July 1, 2026, would have offered a window into that, but McDavid chose not to look, and it could come back to haunt him if he never wins a championship. McDavid had all the leverage, which makes his decision baffling, because exploring free agency didn’t require him to leave Edmonton. He could have casually explored his options, had discussions with teams, listened to their pitches and then re-signed with Edmonton—something that might have pushed the Oilers to step up their game and get creative with their roster. But the Oilers didn’t need to worry about losing McDavid, and it seems this has led to some apathy across the organization, as they don’t seem to be a group hungry to win. Generational players across all leagues have frequently tested free agency. NBA superstar LeBron James famously took his talents from Cleveland to Miami nearly 15 years ago, and MLB superstar pitcher Paul Skenes will likely follow suit one day. It’s common, and not all players do it because they’re leaving; they do it for a variety of reasons. They can because the process gives them power, and it’s one of the few times they get to fully control their own destiny. McDavid could have taken a different route, but he didn’t. While he’s given the team a short leash to build a winner around him, he could have kept that leash even tighter, which might have pushed the Oilers to solve their roster issues more quickly. It could also have generated a story that might have become a sensation across all platforms — a broader narrative focusing on a star-driven tale on a smaller scale than MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani’s. The buzz would have been enormous and arguably the biggest NHL story since the Oilers traded Gretzky to the Los Angeles Kings. Moving on could have been a great branding opportunity for McDavid to become even more mainstream, but he chose the safe, comfortable route in Edmonton. It’s a loyalty decision, and it’s completely understandable given that the Oilers have been close to a title in the last two years and he has built a bond with his teammates. For his legacy, though, he might need to chase greatness in a different city in the next two-and-a-half years.
Mavericks Announce Klay Thompson News After Lakers Game
The Dallas Mavericks came into their latest stretch of games under heavy scrutiny, still trying to find stability after what many consider one of the most drastic midseason overhauls in recent history. Less than a year ago the franchise traded away franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic in a blockbuster deal that sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis. Expectations were that Davis’ arrival alongside veterans such as Klay Thompson and Kyrie Irving would anchor a competitive roster. But instead, the Mavericks have struggled mightily, entering Saturday’s matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers with a 5‑15 record. They are tied for the second-worst record in the Western Conference and are losers of their last three games, including Friday’s defeat to the Lakers. In a further blow to their already fragile rotation, the Mavericks announced that Klay Thompson will be unavailable for the game Saturday against the Clippers as he continues to manage a left knee injury. That absence leaves Dallas even thinner at wing and perimeter‑shooting spots, just as the team tries to halt its skid. Thompson arrived in Dallas in July 2024 via a six‑team sign‑and‑trade, signing a three‑year, $50 million contract. A longtime championship winner with the Golden State Warriors, he earned four NBA titles and built his reputation as one of the greatest shooters in league history. Thompson was expected to bring veteran leadership, elite perimeter shooting and playoff‑tested experience to the Mavericks. However, in his second season, his role on the team has already been altered. After beginning the campaign in the starting five, head coach Jason Kidd moved him to the bench in early November. The veteran wing’s production has dipped significantly this season. In 19 games, he is averaging 10.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 21.5 minutes. The news also comes as Dallas continues to deal with other major absences, including guard Kyrie Irving, who continues to recover from a torn ACL. Anthony Davis returned against the Lakers after 14 missed games but will not play in the second half of the back-to-back to manage a calf injury. However, rookie Cooper Flagg was upgraded to available after dealing with a right thumb splint. With Thompson out, Davis sidelined and limited depth available, the Mavericks face an uphill challenge against a Clippers squad also struggling — but at least healthier.
Eagles' grip on NFC East suddenly in danger of slipping away amid spiral, Cowboys' resurgence
Life comes at you fast in the NFL, and the Philadelphia Eagles are finding that out right now. Now they are in a position where what looked to be a runaway lead in the NFC East is rapidly shrinking, and it could be in danger of completely slipping away after an ugly 24-15 loss to the Chicago Bears on Friday. Especially after the Dallas Cowboys won again on Thursday, continuing to narrow the gap in the division. Could the Eagles actually lose the division? The odds are still in the Eagles' favor, but given the way both teams are playing right now, nothing should be considered a given. Dallas has rapidly become one of the hottest teams in the NFL with three consecutive wins, and boasts one of the league's best offenses. The Cowboys' much-maligned defense has also been given a massive boost thanks to the trade-deadline addition of defensive lineman Quinnen Williams from the New York Jets. Dallas really started to get some belief for itself when it rallied to beat the Eagles in a massive NFC East game a week ago. It continued on Thanksgiving with another big win over the Kansas City Chiefs. With Philadelphia's loss on Friday, the gap in the division is now down to just a game-and-a-half with five weeks to go in the season. Hardly insurmountable. Are the Eagles still in the driver's seat? Sure. Would they trade positions with the Cowboys right now? No way. But that doesn't mean anybody in Philadelphia has to be feeling good about any of this given the way the Eagles are playing. Especially when it comes to the team's offense. The Eagles offense has been a struggle for much of the season, and it is getting progressively worse with each game. The passing game has been non-existent. They entered play on Friday with the 23rd-ranked passing offense in the league, and it looked worse than that against the Bears. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has struggled with consistency, the team's best wide receiver — A.J. Brown — seems perpetually miserable with his role and usage, and the play-calling has become shockingly conservative and bland. The running game that carried the Eagles to the Super Bowl a year ago has struggled to build any sort of a rhythm, and Saquon Barkley has been a shell of what he was last season. Even worse, they have almost completely eliminated any designed runs for Hurts, something that was a major X-factor for the offense in recent years. If all of that is not concerning enough, a new issue emerged on Friday — the defense that has helped keep the Eagles afloat this season and lift up the inconsistent offense was completely dominated by the Bears' running game. They were pushed around, bullied and could not get off the field on important third downs. It just looks like a team that has no confidence and nothing going for it. Conversely, the Cowboys all of a sudden look like a team that can do nothing wrong and they are suddenly breathing right down the Eagles' necks. Philadelphia still has games against the Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills and Washington Commanders (twice) remaining. The Cowboys still have the Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Chargers, Commanders and New York Giants. The schedules are pretty similar. But the division might not come down to the opponents. It might come down to what the Eagles and Cowboys can do on their own. The Cowboys should be very confident right now, and the Eagles should not be.
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