What to do with Donovan Smith?

[Jonny]

The guy elevated his play once Brady came, but has regressed back to ways during Jameis era when Cam Jordan of Saints was celebrating on Twitter after seeing Smith get an extension. His only positives were average play with a durable body. Against the Rams during playoffs in 2021 season when we needed him to play amazing, so that Wirfs' backups were getting all the help they needed, Smith did the opposite by playing probably worse than Wells. If we keep him through the finish of his contract, is there a way we can get more from him?

For example, what about making him a LG and moving all world Wirfs' to LT, a position he has played in college and finding a RT through draft or free agency? I don't understand O-line play well enough to understand if this is even remotely in the realm of possibility. But Cowboys O-line had similar changes work out in their favor when they faced us in the playoffs.

[Snake]

Time to move on.

Maybe it will inspire him to take his craft more seriously.

► Show Spoiler

[nybf]

Sorry, the title we were looking for is "Should Donovan Smith be fired?"

[Grahamburn]

Pre 6/1/23 trade or release is $8M in dead cap and $10M in cap savings.

Post 6/1/23 trade or release is $2.6M in 2023 dead cap and $5.3M in 2024 dead cap. $15M in 2023 cap savings.

Looks like an action year to me. Trade/Release.

[MJW]

[King Bootz]

Wouldn't keeping him help with the goal of being as bad as possible for a top pick in the 2024 draft since he's so bad?

[Grahamburn]

Hell, he might retire.

[Heisenberg]

Send him to the moon

[Doctor]

Wouldn't keeping him help with the goal of being as bad as possible for a top pick in the 2024 draft since he's so bad?

Tanking is confusing

[Miller4Prez64]

Get him out of the building ASAP.

[Cheb]

Pre 6/1/23 trade or release is $8M in dead cap and $10M in cap savings.

Post 6/1/23 trade or release is $2.6M in 2023 dead cap and $5.3M in 2024 dead cap. $15M in 2023 cap savings.

Looks like an action year to me. Trade/Release.

I'd agree with this. Donovan Smith has outgrown his contract and we need the savings. I would ask around for a trade partner, but failing any bites I would release him after thanking him for his service.

[Babeinbucland]

I cannot think of one darn reason to keep him.

[King Bootz]

I cannot think of one darn reason to keep him.

He helps the team achieve the goal of being bad enough to get Caleb Williams.

Or is that not how tanking works?

[Cheb]

I cannot think of one darn reason to keep him.

He helps the team achieve the goal of being bad enough to get Caleb Williams.

Or is that not how tanking works?

Pining all your hopes on a rookie savior is foolish.

In any case, we need cash and Donovan is a big walking stack of it. At this point it's a business decision.

[mdb1958]

Wouldn't keeping him help with the goal of being as bad as possible for a top pick in the 2024 draft since he's so bad?

Tanking is confusing

I offered 121,154,194,229,235,251 to swap 12 for 19

They turned it down.

[Doctor]

I think he plays his final year and then walks. We get a comp pick.

Maybe if one of the top 4 OTs falls to us in the draft, someone will come knocking and we can get something better.

But LT is not a position you leave open. Ever. That's why even mid LTs get hit with Franchise Tags. You're absolutely nuts if you think Licht, Bowles, and the new OC are going to go into next year with absolutely nothing at LT to save a buck. No way. You play yourself out of the starting line up before you play yourself off the roster.

The only way I can see something like that happening is if they have seen enough and feel good enough that they can put Wirfs in at LT. Particularly if they see lots of RT options they like out there. Then maybe. To be fair Smith should've been a RT himself all along but that ship's long sailed.

But yeah, I would be shooketh if we just flat out cut Smith to save, what, $2M? Like no.

[GoldenBudda]

In order to tank you must field a team. Whats it up to now projected $54 million over the cap?

This is a no-brainer

[Grahamburn]

Ideally you draft his replacement and then trade/release him after 6/1, which saves you $15M.

[Miller4Prez64]

I cannot think of one darn reason to keep him.

He helps the team achieve the goal of being bad enough to get Caleb Williams.

Or is that not how tanking works?

The goal is to get young, cheap players with upside on the field over expensive washed veterans.

[Doctor]

No. The goal is to win.

IF doing so will actually result in MORE WINS next season, then yes. You do it.
But you don't do it just to do it.

[nybf]

The goal of tanking is to win.

God damn are doctor and boots going head to head to see who can out-dumb the other? This is like The Rumble in the Jungle, except both participants suffered from FAS.

[Grahamburn]

No. The goal is to win.

IF doing so will actually result in MORE WINS next season, then yes. You do it.
But you don't do it just to do it.

You do it because he's not worth the money he's being paid. He's the 13th highest paid left tackle in the NFL and he certainly didn't perform like it. You can replace his "production" with a significantly cheaper player. That's why you do it. It's just business.

[Babeinbucland]

While tanking may be a real thing, it is grossly unfair to those players that have contracted in good faith for important incentives in their contracts. I think speaking about tanking as an actual plan, this far in advance of the season, is disrespectful, premature and insulting to those players.

[Miller4Prez64]

No. The goal is to win.

IF doing so will actually result in MORE WINS next season, then yes. You do it.
But you don't do it just to do it.

Do you seriously believe people here want the team to lose just for the shits and giggles of it? Do you think people have gotten tired of playoffs and want to go back to losing? No. But people also realize you can’t keep pushing dead cap hits into the future forever and that the team’s talent has regressed significantly without the resources for short term improvement.

Plus, even if you did want to go all in on winning this year you still shouldn’t want Smith on the team. Having one of the worst LTs in the league constantly letting your QB get hit and killing drives with penalties take up 18 million of your salary cap is not exactly a winning move.

[Grahamburn]

That.

[GoldenBudda]

"We're not rebuilding, we're reloading"
- Todd Bowles

[Snake]

I’m not fat. I’m big boned!

[real bucs fan]

Brady was able to get him playing to his potential after screaming at him midway through the SB season. That lasted about a year. Since then he’s regressed to his fat lazy self. He and Wirfs should swap sides.

[Doctor]

No. The goal is to win.

IF doing so will actually result in MORE WINS next season, then yes. You do it.
But you don't do it just to do it.

Do you seriously believe people here want the team to lose just for the shits and giggles of it? Do you think people have gotten tired of playoffs and want to go back to losing? No. But people also realize you can’t keep pushing dead cap hits into the future forever and that the team’s talent has regressed significantly without the resources for short term improvement.

Plus, even if you did want to go all in on winning this year you still shouldn’t want Smith on the team. Having one of the worst LTs in the league constantly letting your QB get hit and killing drives with penalties take up 18 million of your salary cap is not exactly a winning move.

Except it literally was.
We have done this same dance, every offseason FOR YEARS.

We all agree we could use an upgrade at LT, but from there people fall into two camps
1) If the right player falls in the draft (or hits FA) and we can upgrade, do it. If not, keep Smith because you can't win with a hole at LT.
2) Cut Smith now, you'll never win with him at LT, anyone off the street would beat him out easy

And even though we've LITERALLY WON with him at LT and we've seen so many worse tackles break the bank on the market, the #2 crowd hasn't lost an ounce of steam.

[Bucsfan83]

Do you seriously believe people here want the team to lose just for the shits and giggles of it? Do you think people have gotten tired of playoffs and want to go back to losing? No. But people also realize you can’t keep pushing dead cap hits into the future forever and that the team’s talent has regressed significantly without the resources for short term improvement.

Plus, even if you did want to go all in on winning this year you still shouldn’t want Smith on the team. Having one of the worst LTs in the league constantly letting your QB get hit and killing drives with penalties take up 18 million of your salary cap is not exactly a winning move.

Except it literally was.
We have done this same dance, every offseason FOR YEARS.

We all agree we could use an upgrade at LT, but from there people fall into two camps
1) If the right player falls in the draft (or hits FA) and we can upgrade, do it. If not, keep Smith because you can't win with a hole at LT.
2) Cut Smith now, you'll never win with him at LT, anyone off the street would beat him out easy

And even though we've LITERALLY WON with him at LT and we've seen so many worse tackles break the bank on the market, the #2 crowd hasn't lost an ounce of steam.

The problem with point 2 is, why hasnt anyone walked off the street yet and beat him out?

[Redrum]

I'd like to think we could move on but with all our other needs it's more likely he gets extended to create some cap space.

Here is a good article I found on the topic:

https://atozsports.com/tampa-bay/buccan ... m-in-2023/

[Heisenberg]

I'd like to think we could move on but with all our other needs it's more likely he gets extended to create some cap space.

Here is a good article I found on the topic:

https://atozsports.com/tampa-bay/buccan ... m-in-2023/

Extending him would be the dumbest route to take, even if to create space. Besides him just being complete booty juice, he was near or at the top for yards/plays negated by penalties. He almost lost us 2 games on penalties. Dudes my most hated bucs player since kenyatta hands to the face walker. If I were a billionaire I'd pay him to fucking leave.

[Redrum]

I'd like to think we could move on but with all our other needs it's more likely he gets extended to create some cap space.

Here is a good article I found on the topic:

https://atozsports.com/tampa-bay/buccan ... m-in-2023/

Extending him would be the dumbest route to take, even if to create space. Besides him just being complete booty juice, he was near or at the top for yards/plays negated by penalties. He almost lost us 2 games on penalties. Dudes my most hated bucs player since kenyatta hands to the face walker. If I were a billionaire I'd pay him to fucking leave.

Oh I agree but I can't discount it as a possibility with this brain trust.

[Selmon Rules]

I’m not fat. I’m big boned!

I'm not bald, I just have a very wide part

[Buc2]

So the consensus seems to be that Donavon Smith sucks but he’s better than nothing. What a shitty position we find ourselves in. And it’s all Licht’s fault for not addressing this problem before he wound up having to extend him last time.