Chiefs Sign Former Bucs LT Donovan Smith

[Dante84]

Donovan Smith started 124 games over the past eight seasons with the #Bucs. After signing Jawaan Taylor to a big deal in March, Kansas City continues to invest in protecting Patrick Mahomes. https://t.co/CK4z151PD8

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) May 3, 2023

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by FringeNC

Smith does need to be a one-year rental I think, for cap reasons. But I think he's going to be a very good one-year rental. Assuming he reverts to 2021 form, we can't afford to sign him long term. Next year, Taylor will have to move over and Morris takes over at RT. If Morris is a bust, then we will draft someone or find someone cheap like Wylie was to play RT.

For this year though, the payoff is pretty big. Again, assuming we get the 2021 version, we may have the best line in the NFL.

I think short and long-term we hope Smith doesn't get a snap. Watching him again and I don't think he's that good. He's fine, but that stellar year looks like the outlier.

[RunKC]

Smith-3.8% pressure rat (2021)
Taylor-2.8% pressure rate (2022)

Boy if we get these guys we’re in business. Orlando and Wylie both gave up over 6.5% pressure rates last year

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by wazu

What's funny is - do any of us really care? If they line up Smith at LT and Taylor at RT and it works that will be awesome. If they line up Taylor at LT and somebody else at RT and it works that will be just as awesome. As long as they have a line that can protect 15 I can't imagine caring. Have heard nothing from the actual team that is definitive. I'm sure they have an initial idea but I doubt they are even committed to it in any way at this point. I'm glad to see they now have another option on board.

At least what we know publicly, nothing is set yet at RT/LT. No one has been promised either spot.

[O.city]

I'd try to get Wanya to develop into the next LT.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by O.city

I'd try to get Wanya to develop into the next LT.

Exactly. Again. Not rocket science here.

[oldman]

Would we even be having this argument if Mahomes was left handed?

But one more time for “some people”. Best case scenario, Taylor makes the switch without a problem, Niang steps up to be a outstanding RT. Smith becomes a relativity cheap insurance policy and Morris red-shirts with a few snaps in mop up duty, becoming the RT in 2024. Option B is Smith starts at LT, Taylor stays at RT and Morris red-shirts/backup Smith. After the season, we say goodbye to Smith and hand him a lovely parting gift of a SB ring, Morris is the LT in 2024.

As mentioned before, there are a lot of teams that have 2 good EDGE guys, we may be one of them. If you want more weapons not having to keep a TE or RB out of the pattern because you need a chip blocker seems to be a good place to start. The bottom line is we have to keep PMII upright and endorsement pretty because our fate lies with him. Sorry, Gabbert is no Magic Moore so no miracles seem to be on the horizon.

[duncan_idaho]

So what IS the best-case scenario for the Chiefs' OL?

Best-case for 2023 would be:
Donovan Smith returning to his 2021 form LT, allowing Jawaan Taylor to play RT, and giving the Chiefs the same level of play from LT-RG they received in 21 and 22 (or slightly better, given Smith's talents are a better fit for this style of offense), with Taylor providing a massive upgrade at RT.

This would be the best offensive line in football, Smith would get paid at the end of the year, and it would likely pay off with a comp pick for KC.

Best-case long-term would be:
Wanya Morris blossoms under the wing of Heck, and by the end of the year is entrenched as the starter at RT, while Taylor has smoothly transitioned to LT and is providing above-average play there.

Now you're set at the tackles for 2024, 25, and 26. You still have one more cheap year of Humphrey and Smith, and you're likely in your last year with Joe Thuney at LG. So you draft a LG to develop, probably pay Creed Humphrey, and play out 2024 with the same OL starters, before working in 1-2 new guys at G in 2025.

[The Franchise]

Best case scenario would be:

Taylor successfully transitioning to LT and locking down the LT position for the remainder of his contract.
Niang stays healthy and proves that he's the RT they envisioned in this offense.
Smith is our insurance policy for LT.
Morris gets a redshirt year and becomes our swing tackle moving forward.

[kcbubb]

If what you’ve quoted below is true, I hate the trade up for Wanya Morris. He’s a better fit at RT. KC traded with Cincinnati, giving up picks No. 95 and 217 — a sixth-round compensatory selection — to get No. 92. We could have stayed at 92 and picked several good players. Why trade up to get a RT if we are planning to play Taylor at RT and we have Niang, Remmers and Prince that we can play at RT? That’s a lot of draft capital to spend on Wanya if they penciled in Taylor at RT.

I think the chiefs are just trying to get as much depth as possible and they will give Taylor a shot at the LT spot. If he struggles, they will move him back and put smith in at LT. He’s an insurance policy and a cheap one if Taylor doesn’t adjust or in case of injury. They will let these guys compete and put the best 5 starters on the field.

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

The guy is starting at LT this year and Taylor is staying at RT. Pretty much that simple. They’ll get Taylor some reps an LT in practice and if he looks good enough they’ll move him over next year and let Morris take over RT. You’re not signing a tackle with this kind of experience at LT to be a backup so you can play a guy who’s never played LT, and then start a guy like Niang at RT.

You start the 2 best tackles on the roster, and that’s Smith and Taylor. LT vs RT is pretty insignificant at this point, and you’re not going to play two guys on the opposites sides of where they’ve played and thrived their whole careers. That makes zero sense whatsoever. Stop looking at the money, it doesn’t matter at this point. You have 2 starting tackles making a total of $29 million (at most) which is doable. You can slowly transition Taylor and plug him in at LT next year if he shows enough. This gives you more time to figure that out.

I absolutely love this move, and I applaud Veach for covering his ass with Taylor, and then clearly seeing another opportunity to give Patrick even more protection and taking advantage of it. I feel so much better with a combo of Smith/Taylor than I would have with Taylor/Niang, and I don’t know how anyone could disagree. The tackle spots have been drastically upgraded. I cannot believe people are complaining about this. It makes us a better team without question. If Smith returns to his 2021 form, you possibly have the best offensive line in the league, and you also have a ton of depth. Just awesome. Veach truly never, ever stops.

[Hoover]

Man too many people on this board are obsessed with Comp picks. Yeah it would be nice, but who really cares. If it happens it happens.

Smith is a rental, there is absolutely no way he is on the team after this year. We have big decisions to make with Creed and Smith, and that's were the Chiefs need to spend their money.

At this point you have to trust Veach and the front office as well as the coaches. I don't think Smith is the second coming, but I feel a whole lot better after adding him to the roster just from a depth perspective.

Perhaps the thing that has been overlooked with Taylor is that he's already 10x the leader than OBJ was. This dude is willing to do whatever is best for the team, you want him at RT fine. You want him at LT - cool. That was never the case for Brown, and frankly I think that is the only reason he's not on this roster. What a refreshing change.

[RunKC]

Niang isn’t doing anything here. Might as well accept that now

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by kcbubb

If what you’ve quoted below is true, I hate the trade up for Wanya Morris. He’s a better fit at RT. KC traded with Cincinnati, giving up picks No. 95 and 217 — a sixth-round compensatory selection — to get No. 92. We could have stayed at 92 and picked several good players. Why trade up to get a RT if we are planning to play Taylor at RT and we have Niang, Remmers and Prince that we can play at RT? That’s a lot of draft capital to spend on Wanya if they penciled in Taylor at RT.

I think the chiefs are just trying to get as much depth as possible and they will give Taylor a shot at the LT spot. If he struggles, they will move him back and put smith in at LT. He’s an insurance policy and a cheap one if Taylor doesn’t adjust or in case of injury. They will let these guys compete and put the best 5 starters on the field.

They dumped their 6th rounder (actually the Bears 6th; the first in the round) for a pick next season.

Veach clearly felt like they'd run out of guys they really wanted to get their hands on.

Karl Brooks, Kei'Trel Clark, JL Skinner, Kayshon Boutte, Trey Palmer, AT Perry, Zack Kuntz - a lot of guys were still on the board at that point and at that moment in time Veach decided that none of them were worth using a 6th round pick on.

And you're getting wound up about moving pick 217? We traded the first pick of the 6th round for a pick that's probably gonna be maybe 10 picks ahead of that next season. And you 'hate' that we gave up the last pick of said round?

Who ****ing cares? You walk about the quality players we could've drafted at 95 but that's immaterial as we could've taken any of them at 92. The only relevant consideration is the pick they gave up to get it done and Veach demonstrated, loud and clear, that the pick was simply irrelevant to him.

[duncan_idaho]

Originally Posted by Hoover

Man too many people on this board are obsessed with Comp picks. Yeah it would be nice, but who really cares. If it happens it happens.

Smith is a rental, there is absolutely no way he is on the team after this year. We have big decisions to make with Creed and Smith, and that's were the Chiefs need to spend their money.

At this point you have to trust Veach and the front office as well as the coaches. I don't think Smith is the second coming, but I feel a whole lot better after adding him to the roster just from a depth perspective.

Perhaps the thing that has been overlooked with Taylor is that he's already 10x the leader than OBJ was. This dude is willing to do whatever is best for the team, you want him at RT fine. You want him at LT - cool. That was never the case for Brown, and frankly I think that is the only reason he's not on this roster. What a refreshing change.

Comp picks are just a bonus. Having extra picks makes it easier to move around in the draft, which is nice flexibility to have.

When I was thinking about best case for 2023, that was a distant, secondary factor.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by kcbubb

If what you’ve quoted below is true, I hate the trade up for Wanya Morris. He’s a better fit at RT. KC traded with Cincinnati, giving up picks No. 95 and 217 — a sixth-round compensatory selection — to get No. 92. We could have stayed at 92 and picked several good players. Why trade up to get a RT if we are planning to play Taylor at RT and we have Niang, Remmers and Prince that we can play at RT? That’s a lot of draft capital to spend on Wanya if they penciled in Taylor at RT.

I think the chiefs are just trying to get as much depth as possible and they will give Taylor a shot at the LT spot. If he struggles, they will move him back and put smith in at LT. He’s an insurance policy and a cheap one if Taylor doesn’t adjust or in case of injury. They will let these guys compete and put the best 5 starters on the field.

We haven't had Remmers since 2021.

Wanya Morris played most of his college career at LT.

Taylor at LT is cool, but you've got Niang who can't stay healthy so far, and Winnebago, and that's it at RT. Smith is a really nice contingency plan.

Morris has some technique issues, but is superior athletically. As in definite starter material as a physical prospect.

I disagree completely with your entire argument. Respectfully.

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

They dumped their 6th rounder (actually the Bears 6th; the first in the round) for a pick next season.

Veach clearly felt like they'd run out of guys they really wanted to get their hands on.

Karl Brooks, Kei'Trel Clark, JL Skinner, Kayshon Boutte, Trey Palmer, AT Perry, Zack Kuntz - a lot of guys were still on the board at that point and at that moment in time Veach decided that none of them were worth using a 6th round pick on.

And you're getting wound up about moving pick 217? We traded the first pick of the 6th round for a pick that's probably gonna be maybe 10 picks ahead of that next season. And you 'hate' that we gave up the last pick of said round?

Who ****ing cares? You walk about the quality players we could've drafted at 95 but that's immaterial as we could've taken any of them at 92. The only relevant consideration is the pick they gave up to get it done and Veach demonstrated, loud and clear, that the pick was simply irrelevant to him.

I'm not fussed about losing 217, but you're telling me you wouldn't have liked Brooks or Kuntz there? Veach wouldn't have known who he was giving up when he made that deal, he was betting that noone he liked was there, maybe they were, maybe they weren't.