Report: Veteran Offensive Lineman Expected to be Released by the Buccaneers
According to Scott Reynolds of Pewter Report, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are expected to part ways with their starting left tackle, Donovan Smith.
Releasing Smith prior to March 15th will allow the Buccaneers to clear some valuable cap space, as they're currently projected to be approximately $55M over the cap. Although the Buccaneers will still be on the hook for $7.95 million in dead money this year, the move will free up around $9.95 million.
Smith has been the starting left tackle for the Bucs since he was drafted by the team in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft.
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Despite his longevity, this move isn't a big surprise. Smith, although extremely durable over the course of his career, struggled mightily with both injury and performance last season. He played extremely well during the first two years of the Tom Brady era in Tampa and earned himself his current contract (2yr/$31 million) prior to reverting back to the issues that plagued him earlier in his career. Smith finished second in the NFL in individual penalties for 2022.
The interesting development that arises from this move is the belief that Tristan Wirfs may be moved over from his right tackle position in order to inherit the left tackle role left vacant by Donovan Smith's absence from the lineup.
Since being drafted 13th overall in 2020, Wirfs has established himself as one of the premier right tackles in football. And with all the moving parts that we're expecting to see in Tampa throughout the remainder of this offseason, watching him transition to a new position could be one of the more intriguing storylines to follow moving forward.
Regardless of whether or not the Buccaneers do move Wirfs over to the left side, releasing Donovan Smith will open up a starting tackle position on this team. It's probably safe to assume that adding an offensive tackle in this year's draft just became even more of a priority for Jason Licht and his staff.
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