Bad News For The Anti-Donovan Smith Crowd
February 24th, 2021
“Expect” a 2021 return.
Joe knows there is still a clique out there that just cannot wait for a gang of security guards at One Buc Palace to drag left tackle Donovan Smith out of the facility and into a U-Haul for a one-way trip out of Tampa Bay.
It appears these knuckledraggers will have yet another year to chug Mylanta when they hear Smith’s name.
Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht said today he does “expect” Smith, whose contract is not guaranteed for 2021, to play for the Bucs this fall. When Licht was asked about Smith (and center Ryan Jensen) maybe not being a part of the Bucs for 2021, it seemed as if Licht was torn between rolling his eyes or laughing out loud.
“We love Ryan and Donovan,” Licht said when asked about the two offensive linemen who have pricy contracts. “They played a pivotal role in our offense, in protection and in the run game.
“So [chuckles] we envision Ryan and Donovan both being on this team — we expect them, not just envision them.”
Though Smith has largely been a decent if not good left tackle, he struggled with consistency. When he was bad, he was really bad. But Smith turned the corner this year and may have been dominant down the stretch as the Bucs won the Super Bowl.
It seems people have had an ax to grind about Smith ever since the PFF tribe torched him when Smith was coming out of Penn State — and for no other reason. Hell, Joe still sees comments on this here website even after the Bucs won the Super Bowl that Smith needs to be run out of town.
Smith, when you factor in his dependability (he’s missed two starts in his six-year career which is extraordinary for a left tackle), is very likely a top-10 left tackle. Yes, Joe is serious.
And a couple of months ago, Joe heard through the grapevine that Smith’s contract for 2021 is estimated to make him the 15th-highest paid left tackle in the NFL.
There’s just no way short of a some shady Uber hassle that Smith won’t be playing for the Bucs this fall.
And this will grind the gears of too many Bucs fans.
Put out your torches.
February 24th, 2021 at 3:48 pm
Na we need them both for this B2B SB…..still hope we can draft Jackson Carman though after Freier…he’ll be a G/LT trainee in the waiting….
February 24th, 2021 at 3:53 pm
Ease up on the torches and pitchforks and show some love for big Don and the job he’s done especially this past season.
February 24th, 2021 at 3:53 pm
Dependability sounds like saying Michael Clayton was an outstanding receiver since he was so good at blocking. Dependability is important, but doing your job is the most important. Donavan did his job extremely well and consistently this year. I attribute that to having Brady back there. If it stays that way, pay him and get cheaper on the interior if you find good replacements. But I need to see that consistency again this year or plan on words moving over.
February 24th, 2021 at 3:55 pm
He’s a bargain at his price for a top 10 left tackle. If Brady can keep his head tight for a full season next year… unfortunately we have to hope he continues to play at that consistently high level. Time to draft an eventual replacement.
February 24th, 2021 at 3:56 pm
So TB12 gets here and all of a sudden Donovan Smith becomes consistent, and has his best year ever. Imagine that.
February 24th, 2021 at 3:56 pm
Smith is like a 7 on a scale of 10. Seemed to do better when he was faced with guarding the Goat
February 24th, 2021 at 3:59 pm
D Dmith had great games, and medicore games, specially at the start of the season, but no doubt he finshed in high standards…..As all the OL did….I am not saying nothing new, probably one of the best if not the best OL during last season……Changes would be bad!
February 24th, 2021 at 4:05 pm
In Smith’s defense he was a second round LT.. He needed time to develop. This wasnt a guy taken in the first round and LT is a premium position. I think he is progressing nicely considering where we took him.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:13 pm
I was one of those Donovan Smith naysayers, however, he played well down the stretch, especially in the playoffs and the superbowl. It’s not easy to replace production like that. He rarely miss games and when he has his head in the game he’s top ten left tackle.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:16 pm
I agree on every point there Joe. D.Smith is not overpriced, and is likely getting better because his new qb gets the ball out faster and they run the football. If he opted out last season, this team would have been in trouble.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:22 pm
This seems fair.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:22 pm
I definitely agree that Smith played really well down the stretch, but this idea that Bucs fans have had it in for Smith because of PFF is laughable. People watched him be a turnstile on multiple occasions, and we can’t erase the image of Winston constantly running for his life.
Hopefully this season’s Smith can be the Smith we see for the long haul.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:29 pm
Obviously, getting into an Uber hassle won’t get you run from the team….
Now….if Smith is good enough for Tom Brady…..he’s certainly good enough for TBBF.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:31 pm
He is the definition of a “average” tackle.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:35 pm
Adjust his contract to a team friendly 3 year deal at about 36 mil.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:38 pm
Donovan Smith is among the least of my worries on this team. Would I have said that 2 years ago? No, but I’ll say it now.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:40 pm
Yes Lamarcus and that’s on a good Sunday!
We won the Super Bowl and now everyone is magically better right? We can do much better at LT.
Re-watch the games people.
I think BA/JL are going to do something big on the OL.
A trade?
Maybe. Either DD or Jensen.
Durable Donnie still sucks out loud.
February 24th, 2021 at 4:50 pm
And Joe, your blanket statement about all of us ax grinders and Penn State is false.
I had much higher hopes for him and he proved to me, to be low energy with weak technique.
You and a lot of others were down on him too but now he magically is good to very good?
Where?
When?
February 24th, 2021 at 4:55 pm
D Smith is fine. I agree Joe. Not sure what others were watching this past year to still have hate on him.
How many fan experts last year were telling us to get Jason Peters. So glad we did not.
Dooshi who were your suggested left tackles last year?
Who is your suggested left tackle this year?
February 24th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
I agree joes.
His play on par with salary ranking. Maybe out performed guys with higher salaries in the 10-15 range. Salary Right in middle. So he comes back for another year
February 24th, 2021 at 5:01 pm
Donovan Smith isn’t as overpaid as most realize. His salary is actually rather middling for a LT (non-rookie pay scale) if you look at the OTC numbers. I think the team needs to either extend him with a home town discount, or find a replacement via the draft. It has more to do with the team trying to keep core defensive players together than the performance of Smith. Frankly Smith started the season poorly but did admirably well in the final stretch.
February 24th, 2021 at 5:31 pm
Geno-i
Wirfs at LT and draft or FA or Cappa at RT.
Draft would be my preference.
February 24th, 2021 at 5:53 pm
No way you mess with the consistency of this offensive line, which was terrific the last half of the year. Bring em all back. Remember, Brady is totally immobile and just goes down when there is any pressure to avoid injury and live to make another play. That compares very favorably to Jaboo the Human Turnover Machine.
February 24th, 2021 at 5:57 pm
Imo, the Bucs should keep Wirfs and Cappa where they are. The kid is already the BEST RT in the league and the pride of Humboldt State is a very good (and improving) RG.
Maybe D Smith agrees with a team friendly extension. If not, pick a LT in the 2nd round and coach him this season.
The Bucs won the SB mostly in the trenches, it would be amazing to repeat that dominance next season.
February 24th, 2021 at 6:25 pm
Now….the only thing that would make sense to me is if trading DS would permit us to keep both Shaq & Godwin…
We trade DS…..and his $14.2 salary……use the pick….maybe another to move up and get a RT….move Wirfs to LT.
Saving the $14.2 toward Godwin & Shaq…..I’d be on board for that.
The problem is getting much in a trade for a player with a 1-year 14.2 mil salary.
February 24th, 2021 at 6:32 pm
Plain and simple, he had 90% less loafs this year and we all know why
It took TB12 to get him to lock in and perform consistently
February 24th, 2021 at 6:39 pm
i dont read the comments like you do joe but i mean how many times have certain players been defended or the franchise ridiculed (eg: winston and drafting devin white as some massive mistake for the franchise). even when brady was signed there was a lot of skepticism because oh boy history said 43 year old quarterbacks arent good which was fair but still it was like omg let’s freak out because we let go of mr 5000 yards. fans can be wrng in their opinions, why do we continue to harp on people who hated donovan smith? he performed well and in games he didnt but that is fine because he played very well and when it mattered most. those fans arent pissed off about that. i dont get the alienation
February 24th, 2021 at 7:07 pm
The Anti-Donovan Smith Crowd? Is that anything like the Mike Glennon Mob? They probably re-branded.
February 24th, 2021 at 7:16 pm
Donovan Smith must have “Fletcher Coxxed” Douche Le Doosh’s lady. Smith wasn’t perfect…but came on strong when it counted the most. He’ll be paid like a midrange LT in 2021 when all is said and done.
February 24th, 2021 at 7:31 pm
I was one of the biggest D Smith haters but he’s earned it and I wouldn’t even mind an extention
February 24th, 2021 at 7:45 pm
I never understood the hate towards either Smith or Jensen.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:02 pm
@DoooshLaRue
“Wirfs at LT and draft or FA or Cappa at RT.
Draft would be my preference.”
why would you want to change things up when the oline was solid last season? The current line-up was good enough to get to the super bowl. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.
February 24th, 2021 at 8:44 pm
Both could be extended to turn their 2021 contracts into bonuses and spread them out over the next few years. D. Smith is finally hitting his stride as a player, and Jensen is the leader of that line, and right in his prime. Why break up a good thing? When a player is proven, and still pretty young, you can push those cap hits out a few years and have a buffer as the cap increases. if you draft well, you’ll eventually rotate in affordable replacements.
February 24th, 2021 at 9:37 pm
Dude used to just take plays off or mentally disappear 2 or 3 times a game. His own coach said that. The second half of last season he played the best and most consistent of his career. He’s definitely a strong starter and a keeper.
February 24th, 2021 at 10:08 pm
I admit I was down on Donovan, but his brilliant play after all the public criticism he received in the middle of last season has changed my heart and mind. He seemed to play with a little more fervor and urgency, and made it possible for Brady to remain upright and healthy, and not to mention his run blocking improved exponentially.
February 25th, 2021 at 7:11 am
Smith deserves the criticism when he calls it in, which he has done too often. He played well in 2020 for the most part, but you can’t ignore his revolving door play. Let’s see how he does in 2021.
February 25th, 2021 at 9:30 am
like i always said donovan is donald penn 2.0. it looks sloppy maybe even lazy at times but who cares gets the job done most days. people wanted to run off donal penn to BeECaUse HeS FAt anD LaZy! Abd donald penn started what 5 more years after that and made what 2 more pro bowls. lmaooooo those clowns dont know football.
February 25th, 2021 at 9:35 am
In the last 8 games last year, plus playoffs, he was the BEST left tackle in the game. And it wasnt close.
Donovan is a Huge man, with quick feet.
Hes always been good. Last season, he was just Destroying DEs.
Name one DE who altered our game plan- after thebye week?
What he did to Chase Young was CRIMINAL!
With Donovan and Tristan, we have two excellent GIANTS at Tackle.
And when you best players are 43- you better have great Tackles!
February 25th, 2021 at 3:49 pm
Obviously there are times where Smith seems to take plays off and I also have paid more attention to his blunders the more I hear the “noise” from the fanbase. Thing is, Smith isn’t a terrible LT, he just isn’t a great LT. Some positives are he is always healthy and seems to have improved over the last 1.5 seasons. Maybe that can be attributed to protecting Brady the GOAT? I’m sure no one will want to be remembered as the guy that missed a block that ultimately injured Brady. I think the best approach would be to extend him by a year, aligning with a Brady extension and see if the Bucs can convert some of his cap hit in 2021 to a signing bonus to spread out over the next 2 years to free up some money. Same goes for Jenson who I think outside of his 1 snap per game blunders is a very solid center and a tone setter up front.