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

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

This could be EXACTLY what puts Taylor at RT.

Because it isn't about finding the best LT - not in this system, not when RT usually operates without help.

It's about finding the best combination of bookends. And if you don't have a clear winner in the RT derby, Smith at LT and Taylor at RT is probably the best duo you can create from this roster.

Lets say Smith starts out looking better at LT, just because of experience.

Taylor shows a lot of promise at LT but is clearly going to take some lumps at LT.

Everyone else sucks at LT.

So for starting day, Smith at LT and Taylor at RT would be your strongest 5. But maybe that wouldn't be your best 5 come December and your backup LT come December would suck.

That is one of the reasons I'm rooting for Taylor to win at LT.

Note that rooting is not the same as predicting...

[JPH83]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

Brooks wouldn't have been there.

And since the pick at 178 was traded for a nominal upgrade a season later, it is fairly obvious that Veach simply put little/no value on the picks by then.

That's why I noted 'at that point in time' - because at 178 Veach didn't HAVE to project - he knew who was on the board; all those guys I named. And he traded the pick anyway.

He showed his cards on the bet he was making w/r/t the value of 217 when he traded away 178. You're grousing about hypotheticals when no hypotheticals are necessary or appropriate.

Ah yes, no you're right, I was forgetting about the 178 being moved.

[kcbubb]

I’m not wound up about just the 6th round pick but the pick itself. Wanya is a better fit at RT. Some say he can play left tackle but he wasn’t the best LT prospect on the board. We could have drafted several other quality players with that 92nd pick. Why pick Wanya if you’re going to play Taylor at RT and have Niang or prince back him up? You don’t need to invest a third round pick in that spot if you know Taylor is gonna play it. The more likely scenario is that veach has planned on Taylor playing LT and they drafted Wanya to compete with niang. And they planned on signing a cheap vet to compete with Taylor for LT but were able to sign smith at a reasonable cost. Lots of players were there that we could have drafted that could have contributed more. So, the plan was for Taylor LT and Niang and Wanya compete for RT. Then an opportunity came to sign a backup that gives us a lot of flexibility. I’m happy with the move. I’m just pointing out that the plan was for Taylor to play LT before the draft and he will have an opportunity to compete. May the best 5 win.

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.

[srvy]

I can't wait for camp and the people who make these decisions make them. The back and forth here is hilarious when you take into account we have no say and have no input into the evaluation of these guys. All we should want is the best protection for our unbelievably talented QB. The pissing match of who will play where means absolutely zilch.

[O.city]

Smith is also only 29, so if he comes in a plays well he’s either signing a new contract to be our left tackle or he’s going to sign one elsewhere and we get a comp pick

I don’t really see a downside here fellas

[Hayneplane]

I don’t care who plays left or right as long as they show some aptitude and effort and are able to hold protection long enough for Pat to weave his magic and not take a lot of wear and tear hits after the throw.

[BigRedChief]

Originally Posted by duncan_idaho

Nope. It’s all going to be about how they work in TC.

Originally Posted by Warrick

In the end that is what it comes down to... The best meshed 5 on the field by the time game 1 comes around.

See this everyday in my field. We interview the guy, check around on him and yeah, he seems to be a good fit. Sometimes they are coming from a smaller business. Only have about 75% of the skills we need but was the best candidate of the bunch.

We hire him. Give him some room to get settled. See what he can do. Turns out he is really good at what he was at the previous place but is falling behind here because we expect more than the standard skill set that was used at a previous team.

The speed at which we move cant be duplicated unless you have worked at a similar high level somewhere else. You are no longer protecting Carr but Mahomes.

Training camp will show the warts and all the other weaknesses If Taylor isn't too old or lost his passion, he'll be the starting LT.

[Wisconsin_Chief]

Originally Posted by Chief Pagan

Lets say Smith starts out looking better at LT, just because of experience.

Taylor shows a lot of promise at LT but is clearly going to take some lumps at LT.

Everyone else sucks at LT.

So for starting day, Smith at LT and Taylor at RT would be your strongest 5. But maybe that wouldn't be your best 5 come December and your backup LT come December would suck.

That is one of the reasons I'm rooting for Taylor to win at LT.

Note that rooting is not the same as predicting...

Taylor can still be your backup LT along with starting at RT. You get him some reps there in camp and in practice and make sure he’s prepared. If Smith goes down or struggles, you move him over and insert one of the young guys at RT. Then you’ve also laid the ground for him to move to LT next year if needed.

I think a lot of people are overcomplicating this situation. Smith is going to be the LT and Taylor will be the RT because they are the two best tackles on the team until proven otherwise, which I don’t expect to happen based on the competition they’re facing. It would be a pleasant surprise if it did, but I don’t think the Chiefs are overly confident in it happening either.

[FringeNC]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

Taylor can still be your backup LT along with starting at RT. You get him some reps there in camp and in practice and make sure he’s prepared. If Smith goes down or struggles, you move him over and insert one of the young guys at RT. Then you’ve also laid the ground for him to move to LT next year if needed.

I think a lot of people are overcomplicating this situation. Smith is going to be the LT and Taylor will be the RT because they are the two best tackles on the team until proven otherwise, which I don’t expect to happen based on the competition they’re facing. It would be a pleasant surprise if it did, but I don’t think the Chiefs are overly confident in it happening either.

Yeah, I think what this signing shows is the Chiefs viewed Niang starting at RT as a last resort kind of thing. This move just delays moving Taylor to the left side and gives you another year to find a RT whether that be Morris, a signing or a 1st rounder next year. It may be disappointing to some that the Chiefs didn't think they had a starting-caliber RT on the team, but it is what it is.

[Chief Pagan]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin_Chief

Taylor can still be your backup LT along with starting at RT. You get him some reps there in camp and in practice and make sure he’s prepared. If Smith goes down or struggles, you move him over and insert one of the young guys at RT. Then you’ve also laid the ground for him to move to LT next year if needed.

I think a lot of people are overcomplicating this situation. Smith is going to be the LT and Taylor will be the RT because they are the two best tackles on the team until proven otherwise, which I don’t expect to happen based on the competition they’re facing. It would be a pleasant surprise if it did, but I don’t think the Chiefs are overly confident in it happening either.

Well sure...

And I know it is hard to have one quality starting LT, let alone two as the OBJ saga taught us, and hopefully Smith stays healthy...

But some reps in training camp and practice isn't the same as game speed and game speed against a variety of rushers not just KC's defenders.

Which you would rather start in September than December.

So I'm kind of rooting for Taylor to win at LT. But then again, if Smith looks great (or at least pretty good) at LT, it would be awesome to have a really great OL, at least in pass protection, because we know what Taylor can at RT.

[Chris Meck]

Uninformed speculation and hyperbole, all over the place.

[Pitt Gorilla]

There will be injuries and a lot of guys will play on the line. That's just the way it goes. So I'm not sure it matters a ton who starts the season where.

[Chris Meck]

Originally Posted by Pitt Gorilla

There will be injuries and a lot of guys will play on the line. That's just the way it goes. So I'm not sure it matters a ton who starts the season where.

It really doesn't. But- if Smith returns to pre '22 form, he's better in this offense than Brown, and Taylor is light years better than Wylie, so it's a nice problem to have.

Or if not, he's still quality depth.

[BossChief]

The downside to starting Smith and Taylor is they are both below average to bad as run blockers. Like, really bad.

[tk13]

Andy Reid says he sees Donovan Smith as the #Chiefs left tackle and Jawaan Taylor at right

— Aaron Ladd (@aaronladdtv) May 8, 2023