Chiefs signing former Buccaneers offensive tackle Donovan Smith
The NFL Draft has come and gone, but the Kansas City Chiefs aren’t done adding to their roster. The Chiefs are signing eight-year veteran offensive tackle Donovan Smith to a one-year deal worth up to $9 million, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissro.
Veteran OT Donovan Smith is signing with the #Chiefs on a one-year deal worth up to $9 million, per source. — Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2023
Smith, 29, first entered the league as a second-round pick out of Penn State made by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the 2015 NFL Draft. In eight seasons with the Bucs, the 6-foot-6, 338-pounder started 124 games — all at the left tackle position.
Per Pro Football Focus, Smith allowed 35 pressures (six sacks) over 661 opportunities during the 2022 season as he worked through an elbow injury. He also accumulated 13 penalties throughout the year. Tampa Bay released Smith in March after he played in 131 of a possible 137 games.
Smith will compete for one of the Chiefs’ two tackle positions following the departures of left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. and right tackle Andrew Wylie in free agency.
Wednesday night food for thought
Jawaan Taylor NFL snaps at LT: 18
Jawaan Taylor NFL snaps at RT: 4,282
Donovan Smith NFL snaps at LT: 8,473
Donovan Smith NFL snaps at RT: 0 https://t.co/Y1uZk82u0f — Pete Sweeney (@pgsween) May 3, 2023
On Monday, Chiefs general manager Brett Veach explained that the plan is for former Jacksonville Jaguars right tackle Jawaan Taylor to start the offseason as the Chiefs’ top left tackle, opening up a battle for the right tackle position between Lucas Niang, Darian Kinnard and rookie Wanya Morris.
“Then I think we’ll have good competition between Niang [and] Wanya — and then I think Kinnard has some flexibility, too,” said Veach. “So I think all three of those guys will bounce in there. Kinnard will go back and forth to tackle and guard — and I think Wanya has some tackle guard-flex. “So I think you’ll see (offensive line) coach [Andy] Heck do a great job of just mixing and matching. Then we get [to] training camp, [where we’ll] just let the competition speak for itself.”
Smith — and his 8,000-plus career snaps at left tackle — has now been added to a suddenly-crowded room.
Source: Arrowhead Pride
