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

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

I'm certainly not emotional about it at all. In fact, I've been trying to tell people to stop being emotional about the tackle position for months. It's falling on deaf ears, nobody wants to hear it. They're dead set against a RT being moved to LT and nothing is going to change their minds.

They're going to be really upset when Taylor trots out there at LT in September.

Who is the starting RT in this scenario?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by kcbubb

The competition for LT isn’t as simple as Taylor vs smith. If Niang or morris suck at RT, and smith looks good at LT, then Taylor will play RT. For Taylor to play LT, someone has to emerge as a quality starter at RT. Again competition will bring the best out of these guys and this move gives us lots of options.

Yep.

For all we know, they could trot Smith out there at RT. All we know at this point is that there will be competition.

[Wisconsin_Chief]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

IF Smith is back to form, he would still have to compete for the job. Taylor is going to win the LT job.

But again, what if Niang and Morris look like pure shit on the right side and Smith is clearly the second best tackle on the roster? You're going put garbage out there at RT just so Taylor can play LT?

That makes no sense, and that's not the way they're going to view it. They would like Niang or Morris to make this a non-issue, but I wouldn't bet on it right now, and clearly they aren't either.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by RunKC

The bigger question is why are they bringing in a vet starting LT from last year if they have all these guys? Why bring him in at all, especially for with a possible scenario (not saying he will, but it’s a possibility) of paying him $9 million?

Insurance and depth. Why did they wait so long to sign McKinnon, who lwas 10th in the entire NFL in receiving TD's last year? Because he's insurance and depth.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by RunKC

Who is the starting RT in this scenario?

Don't know and don't care right now. I honestly don't care who starts at LT either. It could end up being Smith and I'd be fine with it.

If Taylor is the best LT on the team, and I'm supremely confident he is, they're not going to move him to RT just to patch a hole. That's not what they do.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

But again, what if Niang and Morris look like pure shit on the right side and Smith is clearly the second best tackle on the roster? You're going put garbage out there at RT just so Taylor can play LT?

That makes no sense, and that's not the way they're going to view it. They would like Niang or Morris to make this a non-issue, but I wouldn't bet on it right now, and clearly they aren't either.

No, in that scenario, you'd absolutely trot Smith out there.

What I'm saying is that isn't going to happen. They'll find a solution at RT that doesn't require moving their best LT to the right side.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

DUde. We're paying Taylor how much money?

We're paying Thuney how much money?

You can't just go whole hog like that on one position group.

The only reason why Smith at LT kind of works is because we're saying it doesn't matter how much you pay your RT as long as your LT is cheap. When he becomes not cheap, then you have some big problems.

Nah, you always have to have one of them cheap(like Smith) or a rookie deal. $20 mill for a top RT will be the standard in 2 years, if not next year. If Smith is good again, we won't be able to afford him, but then you can still transition Taylor to LT in 2024, or keep him at RT and try again to get a starter by moving up in the first if we are drafting late again...

[Mecca]

Considering how many times Jacksonville traded down, they didn't think anyone else wanted Harrison...

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

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.

just read this, you beat me to my point above... rep

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief

Nah, you always have to have one of them cheap(like Smith) or a rookie deal. $20 mill for a top RT will be the standard in 2 years, if not next year. If Smith is good again, we won't be able to afford him, but then you can still transition Taylor to LT in 2024, or keep him at RT and try again to get a starter by moving up in the first if we are drafting late again...

The first scenario is just dumb. If Taylor is the best LT on the team, and you KNOW Smith is here on a one year deal, you don't start Smith.

The Chiefs aren't going to do that. They said the reason they let OBJ go was because they thought he was going to be a long-term solution and his demands pushed him beyond the point of keeping him.

When you combine what they say they want with age, injury, and athleticism, the best long-term strategy is to put Taylor at LT in 2023 and the placeholder at RIGHT tackle. Not the other way around.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

IF Smith is back to form, he would still have to compete for the job. Taylor is going to win the LT job.

If Smith is back to form, I think he'll win the LT gig.

The inertia is just too powerful. It's soooooooo easy.

I mean you have a guy who's demonstrated that he is capable of being a premium pass-protecting LT. And another guy who's demonstrated he can be a premium pass-protecting RT.

So...do that. And next year you still have Taylor under contract with a year under his belt in KC ready to make the transition over to LT and Wanye with a year under his belt ready to compete for RT.

I just have a hard time seeing a scenario where Smith starts but it's NOT at LT. I think your two most likely scenarios are Taylor at LT and Niang at RT or Smith at LT and Taylor at RT.

And I'd say it's a coinflip scenario either way. Both Niang and Smith are open enough questions (and Taylor's transition, for that matter) that I don't think you can really state anything with any level of certainty.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

If Smith is back to form, I think he'll win the LT gig.

The inertia is just too powerful. It's soooooooo easy.

I mean you have a guy who's demonstrated that he is capable of being a premium pass-protecting LT. And another guy who's demonstrated he can be a premium pass-protecting RT.

So...do that. And next year you still have Taylor under contract with a year under his belt in KC ready to make the transition over to LT and Wanye with a year under his belt ready to compete for RT.

I just have a hard time seeing a scenario where Smith starts but it's NOT at LT. I think your two most likely scenarios are Taylor at LT and Niang at RT or Smith at LT and Taylor at RT.

And I'd say it's a coinflip scenario either way. Both Niang and Smith are open enough questions (and Taylor's transition, for that matter) that I don't think you can really state anything with any level of certainty.

Oh I don't disagree.

The most likely scenario remains that Smith is just a backup and not a starter at all. But sure, if he clearly emerges at the best LT on the team, start him and put Taylor at RT. I just don't think he'll end up being the best LT on the team.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by tredadda

Good point. On another note I always wonder why there are so few lefty QBs. Quite a few lefty baseball pitchers, but not QBs.

You answered your own question, most lefty's choose baseball, even if they play football, as lefty pitchers are highly sought after in college recruiting as well as the MLB. If they have an arm, most are going the BB route.

[IowaHawkeyeChief]

Originally Posted by O.city

I "think" it was more about the opportunity to add a guy that can improve your squad for a good price.

I don't know why everyone is so emotional about this.

because most took a firm position on LT before the draft. As I said before, the gap between pay and LT and RT is narrowing quickly as teams realize the need is nearly as great to protect the right side of your offense as the left as TE's are being used in many different ways into today's offenses. They aren't lined up Tight at the End most of the time anymore...

[Mecca]

They're literally just hedging their bets.