Even after three official weeks of NFL action, offensive tackle Donovan Smith, a free agent, is still searching for a new place to call home. Smith, who was selected in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, played his first eight seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers before moving on to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023. Even though the offensive tackle’s age finally caught up to him, he still started 12 games and contributed to the Chiefs’ second consecutive Super Bowl victory. Even though the club made the decision to part ways throughout the offseason, their tackles’ recent performance may lead them to challenge the two-time Super Bowl champion.
In the hopes of developing Kingsley Suamataia of BYU into a franchise left tackle, the Chiefs selected him in the second round of the 2024 NFL Draft. It’s obvious that he’s not yet ready for NFL action, even though he has the potential to become a cornerstone player. Wanya Morris and the rookie are sharing snaps, but neither player is performing particularly well. Donovan Smith is a free agent that the Chiefs may sign as a temporary solution, but they are by no means the only team in need of offensive tackle support. The Baltimore Ravens or New Orleans Saints may make a run for the veteran if Kansas City does not act quickly.
Donovan Smith, a free agent, might sign with the Saints or Ravens.
With regard to their youthful offensive tackles, the Chiefs and Ravens are in comparable circumstances. Similar to their AFC rivals, the Ravens cut ties with veteran starter Morgan Moses and put all of their trust on rookie Roger Rosengarten, selected in the second round. The rookie hasn’t accomplished anything thus far because Patrick Mekari beat him out for the starting position. Mekari is a versatile weapon that is better at guard, but it is not an aggressive liability. The Ravens also require a guard since Ben Cleveland is not the solution and Daniel Faalele is not performing up to par. The finest available free agency tackle, Donovan Smith, has the potential to help Baltimore with two major problems.
Donovan Smith can guarantee that the Ravens have quality tackle play, but the interior offensive line should also get better with the addition of the free agent. Barring injury, adding Patrick Mekari to the mix should guarantee Baltimore has dependable starters at every position for the duration of the season. He is an obvious upgrade over Faalele. The squad needs to move quickly if they are to still have a chance at the coveted postseason bye week, given their current record of 1-2.
Defensive Insurance
In the team’s Week 1 rout of the Carolina Panthers, the New Orleans Saints offensive tackle Trevor Penning performed admirably; yet, that arguably said more about Carolina than it did about the former first-round choice. Over the past two weeks, Penning has returned to his typical self, and that is not a good thing. Out of 74 qualifying players, Pro Football Focus ranks the Northern Iowa product as the 63rd-best tackle. That’s obviously a bad thing, and as a free agent, Donovan Smith may be useful.
Though he may not be the same player as he once was, Donovan Smith, a free agent, ought to be superior to both Penning and Olisaemeka Udoh, the third-string tackle. Maintaining Derek Carr upright is essential to bringing this club back to the postseason since he is among the worst quarterbacks in the game while under duress.