Buccaneers Releasing Veteran Super Bowl Champion Offensive Tackle

The Buccaneers are releasing former second-round pick, LT Donovan Smith.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are releasing and moving on from veteran left tackle, Donovan Smith as first reported by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Source: #Bucs are releasing LT Donovan Smith.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 7, 2023

There had been speculation that the Buccaneers would release Smith as they neared the deadline to become salary cap compliant within the next eight days, and by doing so the team created $9.95 million in salary cap space.

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Bucs are releasing tackle Donovan Smith, a starter for the last eight seasons. Move will create $9.95 million in cap space, which the Bucs need as they work to get under the cap in the next eight days.

— Greg Auman (@gregauman) March 7, 2023

Donovan Smith has played his entire eight-year NFL career in a Buccaneers' uniform compiling a total of 124 starts in that span. Smith was drafted by the Bucs with the 34th overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft out of Penn State University.

Smith compiled a reputation as one of the more above-average tackles during his time in Tampa Bay, but this past season, it appeared that Smith took numerous steps back from being the wall that he used to be. Smith did the best he could given the shake-up on the offensive line since the 2021 season but was called for a shocking amount of penalties - including, what seemed like, a hold or two per game.

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With the Buccaneers looking to go with a younger group on the line, it makes sense from a multitude of perspectives on why Smith was a cut candidate, to begin with. With the move, the Bucs have an open slot at the left tackle position and have apparently contemplated moving All-Pro RT, Tristan Wirfs, to the other tackle spot.

Prior to their start of cutting players, per overthecap.com, the Buccaneers sat just over $58 million in dead cap space going into the 2023 season. The Buccaneers will have a lot more work to do to get cap compliant in that short amount of time, so expect a number of players to continue being cut from the roster as Tampa Bay looks to fill out somewhat of a contending roster come the off-season.

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