“I’m Not Going To Miss Games”
January 7th, 2018
Bucs ironman talks to Joe
Only one Buccaneer started every game this season.
Not even a bye-free year could stop Donovan Smith from keeping his ironman streak alive at left tackle.
Joe asked Tampa Bay’s ultimate warrior about his 48 consecutive games as a starter last week.
Smith, part of the Jason Licht grand slam draft class of 2015, says it’s part mentality and part dedication.
“I’m not going to miss games,” Smith said. “There’s stuff I’ve battled through all year. I pride myself on being out there and making sure they don’t have to worry about left tackle not being there gameday. It’s a pride thing for me.
“I credit our trainer staff and just taking care of my body year-round and that’s really it. I’m getting better at that.”
Smith said he felt the lost bye week due to Hurricane Irma. “Oh, yeah, of course. Going 16 weeks is definitely tough and something I don’t want to do again.”
Joe realizes most readers here don’t read everything Joe types. So for them, Joe will type this again (for the 87th time). Smith is at least an average starting NFL left tackle by league standards. Smith may be better than that, and he certainly was during the final month of the season.
At 24 years old and entering a contract year, Joe expects huge things from Smith next season.
“Personally, I haven’t reached my ceiling yet. I’m still getting better, still learning” said Smith, adding that he learned a lot about himself this season.
No, the Bucs won’t be drafting Smith’s replacement this season, despite the howls from many Bucs fans.
January 7th, 2018 at 11:06 am
Doesn’t change the fact that his feet are slow and he is better suited to play Guard.
January 7th, 2018 at 11:27 am
Really blake?
How many sacks did he give up to the best pass rushers in the world? He isnt going to the hall of fame but he is the least of this teams worries, or far far down the list. Thinking about that list again is making me depressed.
January 7th, 2018 at 11:33 am
I know that he gave up numerous sacks this year that got Jameis injured. And got absolutely manhandled by Cameron Jordan.
January 7th, 2018 at 11:39 am
So who missed the block when Jameis messed up his shoulder as he was running for his life?
I have to tell you, I am getting sick and tired of hearing about the Grand Slam Dunks we have had in past drafts that haven’t amounted to SQUAT since 2002.
January 7th, 2018 at 11:43 am
I wish he would get hurt every year so the Bucs could try to bring in someone with some talent. He’s always in top shape yet still sucks since the beginning of his career.
January 7th, 2018 at 11:47 am
Anyone realize that before this year we got those super-fly nitrogen steam tanks or whatever the hell they are, and then we had maybe the most injured players in a while? That Falcons game we were pretty much playing the entire third string and tons that have been injured and on IR all year.
January 7th, 2018 at 11:59 am
He will never move to G whether it’s for the Bucs or another team. Never ever.. Stop with the I know BS. You are nothing you know nothing.
January 7th, 2018 at 12:12 pm
As long as he is the LT, the Bucs O-line will be mediocre. Smith is a mediocre LT. Nothing more. He is not elite. The Bucs should be striving for elite. Despite what Smith says – he could be elite at RT or G. If the Bucs had the cahones to make that move… we would see vast improvements.
This is exhibit A on why the Bucs need to add 8 players to truly battle for starting spots and depth spots with the incumbents on both sides of the line. Competition everywhere. Across the board.
Fix the trenches, fix the Bucs!
January 7th, 2018 at 12:26 pm
My dream draft is the trade down several times next April….and fill the holes in One Buc Ship….yeah…no one will get their mock draft ranked player @ 7
January 7th, 2018 at 12:28 pm
JW and dmsith close out the last month the best football players on the Bucs.
Honorable mentions: Peyton Barber, Adam Humphries, Vasoline Jersey Kwon
January 7th, 2018 at 12:33 pm
Licht missed drafting a franchise LT in laremy tunsil move smith to RT and licht is such a great GM at drafting why are the bucs averaging 5 wins/year during his tenure, that is the ultimate judge of talent and that is the bucs suck
January 7th, 2018 at 1:08 pm
Not all players will be Elite or can be. Stop thinking all players should be, ain’t gonna happen. You couch coaches know nothing
January 7th, 2018 at 1:21 pm
I will tip my hat to Donovan Smith. Really do. Unfortunately, this is a tremendously vital position. Average is not what you need to shoot for. HOWEVER, I was more disappointed in the Guard/Center play. Many were quick to heap lauds of praise on Hawley for Barber’s success but it just wasn’t there. Watching film, he gives all he has but it just isn’t enough. Case in point, Martin still couldn’t run behind the line. Facts are Barber is just better than Martin now. Having Cross back in the fold helped as well. Marpet was our best lineman before the injury. Sweezy and Pamphile really digressed. With Evan Smith and Pamphile as UFA and Sweezy as a possible cap casualty, the interior of the O line could need to be rebuilt. Benenoch did not show enough to put your hopes on. Looks like decent depth but thats it. Pamphile might require enough money that he has to be a starter.
But Donovan Smith is the least of our worries at O-line.
I have no problem moving Marpet back to RG if we can pick up a solid center, mid 3rd to early 4th is the value spot for centers, Barkley, Chubb and key are off the board and we select Quinton Nelson to be the Guard for 15 years. Especially if Sweezy can’t demonstrate better mobility than he did this season.
Switch over to the D-line and things really get worse. For all the world, this team’s personnel, with the exception of GMC (and I believe he could be more impactful as a 3-4 DE), looks set up to move to a 3-4, but a decision must be made. My guess is we will run base 4-3 due to GMC (highest paid player on our roster for 2017) and the salary allocated to his position. When you look at how much money is spent on interior type lineman, its no wonder the Bucs lack an edge rusher. Spence can’t be counted on for a down next year, but he at least kept the line honest. Ayers (6th highest paid player) gets most of his sacks, from a career standpoint from interior rushes. Gholston (4th highest paid player in 2017) will never be confused with an edge rusher. Baker (8th highest paid player) is an interior player as is McDonald (18th on the payroll but a UFA)
Both lines are set up for major retooling, which considering performance of the D-line especially, that’s a good thing
January 7th, 2018 at 1:33 pm
Love how joes didnt want anything to do with incognito who would have brought fire to this team and is great locker room guy and would have made impact on OL immediately but are yelling to bring bennett here because bucs dont need only choirboys
January 7th, 2018 at 2:16 pm
Overhaul the entire offensive and defensive lines.
Joe can disagree but Smith is at best an average LT. I say bottom 5 in the league. But I DO BELIEVE he should be moved to RT
January 7th, 2018 at 2:51 pm
He gets the second most unnecessary hate of any Buc, behind only GMC of course
January 7th, 2018 at 3:28 pm
If we could somehow snag Oklahoma OT Orlando Brown in the top of the 2nd round – that would help immensely. Doubtful but one can hope…
We need Guard(s) upgrading worse than a Tackle atm though.
January 7th, 2018 at 4:30 pm
Great…now Sucky Smith is threatening the fanbase.
January 7th, 2018 at 4:53 pm
I think most GM’s (errr fans), think we should have an all pro at every position, There will be average players on every team, but average is better than awful. We haven’t had awful since Anthony Collins and Michael Johnson. The problem with our fans we think our above average players should be Sapp, Ronde, Brooks, Lynch and Rice. Admittedly, we missed on some players, but you can’t predict the future and we have been bad for so long, we win just enough to not get a top pick and have to draft for need, last draft may have been the only time I can remember we drafted BPA. But this draft is critical to turning the corner, because it is a talented draft for the backfield and O-line. You gotta hopefully find a diamond in the rough at DE and CB if Chubb is off the board and by the second round, the best DBs will be off the board.
January 7th, 2018 at 5:08 pm
I think he would be a better fit at RT, but for that to happen you’d need a real stud to play LT. With Dotson being constantly injured if the Bucs would get a LT and then flip Smith, move Marpet back to guard and get a center, the Bucs would be in really good shape. Then again most teams would be in really good shape if they got a stud LT and another starter on the o-line.
Anywho Smith will do at LT, he’s not great but he’s certainly not bad.
January 7th, 2018 at 8:16 pm
Grand Slam Draft Classes should be yielding better than 2-5 wins annually. That means you drafted 4 absolute studs. A Grand Slam shouldn’t contain the qualification that one of your “slams” is “at least… average.”
January 7th, 2018 at 10:02 pm
Meh coaching often can have just as much of an impact, if not more than talent. Of course having an elite QB other thing that can hide it. There is a reason. Brady and Belichick are competing for super bowls every year. Their roster is obviously decent, but they definitely aren’t the team with the best young talent year in and year out. They certainly have holes like any other team