Todd Bowles Updates Donovan Smith Injury Status: “It’ll Be Hard For Him To Make It”
September 16th, 2022
Donovan Smith
It’s quiet at JoeBucsFan.com world headquarters.
Josh Wells starting in place of ironman left tackle Donovan Smith against the slimy Saints on Sunday is a sobering thought.
“It’ll be hard for him to make it but we’ll see,” head coach Todd Bowles said today, referring to Smith recovering from his hyperextended elbow.
Bowles had no firm updates on other injured Bucs. The official injury report comes out later today.
Kickoff is 1 p.m. in New Orleans.
September 16th, 2022 at 12:35 pm
Will find a way. It’s a long season, get well Donny!
September 16th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
If its really just pain tolerance, pump him full of Toradol and lets go.
September 16th, 2022 at 12:55 pm
This sucks, so we will probably have to leave a back in to help block Jordan.
Not Good!
September 16th, 2022 at 1:09 pm
Gut feel is that Donovan won’t play Sunday. He was in a LOT of pain when he came out of the Dallas game, and with a hyper-extended elbow, he won’t be able to get any leverage. We saw what happened last year when JPP tried to play with one wing (wasn’t pretty). Donnie’s LT position in protecting Brady’s blind side is a lot more critical. Plus the season just started; we’ve got 19-20 more games yet to play. No sense in risking further injury that could keep him out for multiple games.
Josh Wells can do OK providing that we give him help in terms of pass protection especially. Much as I want to see us beat the Saints, it just doesn’t make sense for us to jeopardize future games by playing Smith prematurely.
September 16th, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Going to need tight ends staying on the line and making some chip shots to help out this week. Here’s to hoping our DB’s snuff out a few INT’s. We all know the story too well – when Jameis get pressured, he makes bad decisions. Take advantage.
September 16th, 2022 at 1:19 pm
The Saints dominated a healthy bucs line last year, with a full compliment of recievers. This one is going to be a good ole fashioned slobberknocker. I’m expecting both teams to have 35+ rushing attempts. I think the bucs will prevail, 17-14
September 16th, 2022 at 1:21 pm
Let’s play some Dungy ball and win this one on Defense…going to need a good game plan with some creativity on offense. I think Mr. JW just might give us the game if we do this thing right.
Go Bucs!
September 16th, 2022 at 1:29 pm
I know its popular to hate LTs, but Josh Wells is a very goid backup. Lots of teams would love to have him right now.
But its the continuity of the line that is so compromised. 5 guys who havent played together
They’ll have their hands full.
I hope they pull it off- really wanna beat the saints into the ground, cowboy style
September 16th, 2022 at 1:33 pm
And when Josh Wells goes down? I mean it’s inevitable. The Bucs are still cursed with the injury bug. No depth signings for insurance is stupid and irresponsible.
Hope is the strategy.
September 16th, 2022 at 1:43 pm
Josh Wells is a very good backup? Are you crazy. The guy is a turnstile. There are actual times whether a wonder if the guy is actually trying. I don’t see the effort.
Redeemer is right. They dominated us when we had a top 5 line, and now the line is vastly inferior. I just don’t see us winning. They don’t have to sack Brady. Sometimes all you need to do is hurry the QB, and he will make mistakes and won’t have time to go through his progressions. I saw it with Brady and Rodgers last Sunday, Rodgers especially.
September 16th, 2022 at 1:46 pm
Have screen passes and draw plays completely gone out of style?
If the Saints pin their ears back and who doubts that will be the strategy then BL/TB need to dip into the playbook for plays designed to slow the rush.
If not screens or draws or quick passes to WR’s the Bucs can find something to counter a pass rush.
September 16th, 2022 at 2:08 pm
Back when Jensen and Stinnie got hurt Licht should have brought in a couple of experienced lineman. You are rolling the dice that no one else gets hurt. If Wells plays the whole game Sunday it will not be pretty.
September 16th, 2022 at 2:36 pm
Not shocking. An Offensive lineman who wears long sleeves anytime it’s under 70 degrees can’t play with an injured elbow.
September 16th, 2022 at 2:42 pm
Lenny, Rachaad White, Cade Otton, and Ko Kieft are all capable of assisting in pass protection. With Josh Wells being more adept at run blocking, and most of our receivers nursing some form of injury, I’m expecting a run oriented offensive game plan this week.
September 16th, 2022 at 2:43 pm
Fournette’s got this 🙂
September 16th, 2022 at 2:46 pm
Run the football. Give Donny a week off. Make Jordan earn his money with TFLs on a running back. I dont think the Saints are stout against the run this season, and if they stack the box, Brady with destroy them with play action.
September 16th, 2022 at 3:06 pm
A lot of quick passes and running the ball in order to deal with the injuries to Smith and Godwin.
September 16th, 2022 at 3:31 pm
He’s not gonna play.
Which means we’ll have a TE in helping out Wells on pretty much every play, except when Lenny is assisting with the chip blocks
September 16th, 2022 at 6:35 pm
Donovan Smith has a great history when it comes to playing, so if there is any way for him to do so, he’ll be out there. If not, it’s certainly not because he’s soft.
But, in the big picture, the fact we’re talking about him playing already this week is huge. When he went out, most everyone assumed the worst. If he only misses a game or two or three or even four, that’s way better than what most people thought.
September 16th, 2022 at 6:36 pm
unbelievable – Yeah, lost of TE or RB help for Wells. That should be a must.
Or, if we’re down to Darden and Miller as our starting WRs, and literally that’s all the WRs we have on the team that are healthy, then you just run, run, run and run some more and don’t pass the entire game. Keeping Brady healthy is by far the biggest thing for this season.
September 16th, 2022 at 11:08 pm
Bucsfan13
Arent you the same guy who Hated Donald Penn, HatesDonovan Smith, Hates Josh Wells.
Well, consistency is something.
Wells has some skills.
I was one of the guys saying we needed to sign a vet linemen.
Sunday will tell us alot.
September 17th, 2022 at 7:51 am
Sit Smith and let him heal. Bowles will do it. It’s going to be up to the Defense to win this one. Looking forward to it.