Jason Licht Statement On Release Of Donovan Smith
March 8th, 2023
Bucs GM Jason Licht.
Yesterday had to be a rough day for Bucs AC/DC-loving general manager Jason Licht.
One cornerstone of a Bucs franchise that Licht drafted eight years ago had to be let go yesterday. Father Time and Roger Goodell’s salary cap met at the intersection of Dr. Martin Luther King Blvd. and Himes Ave. It resulted in long-time starting left tackle Donovan Smith being released.
Joe understands, sort of, Smith had many haters and maybe was the least popular member of the Bucs’ roster. Still, tell any general manager a tackle he selects in the second round will end up blocking for a 1,000-yard rusher his rookie season, blocking for two quarterbacks who threw for 5,000 yards in a season, and is a starter on a Super Bowl champion, and said suit would probably break dance and do backflips.
And that’s what Smith did in his eight years with the Bucs. Sadly for him, his worst season in the NFL coincided with his team in a salary cap crunch and him being in a contract year.
Bye-bye, Donovan.
Yesterday, Licht issued a rare statement concerning a released player — because of their history.
“I want to thank Donovan for all that he has done for the Buccaneers on and off the field over the past eight seasons,” Licht said in a prepared statement. “He stepped in as our starter at left tackle in 2015 and his durability and dependability at one of the most important positions in football played a significant role in our offensive success during his time here.”
In four of Smith’s seasons, the Bucs were a top-five offense in yards per game. Six times the Bucs finished in the top-10 in yards per game with Smith.
Sorry, you don’t do that with a rotten left tackle. Joe would argue to pull off four seasons with top-five offenses in eight years with a sieve of a left tackle is damn near impossible.
So Smith is gone. History. Kaput with the Bucs. Joe knows many Bucs fans probably raised a pint or two last night to dance on Smith’s Bucs grave. Your wish has finally been granted after eight seasons of anguish.
Now, in addition to so many other holes and funny accounting, Licht has to find a left tackle, too.
March 8th, 2023 at 12:06 am
Deja vu. Sapp went to raiders, lynch to broncos. Wonder whos next this cycle, cant help but to think david
March 8th, 2023 at 12:11 am
Well said, Mr Licht. Well said, Joe.
March 8th, 2023 at 12:12 am
Now.
March 8th, 2023 at 12:23 am
Great career here. Wish him well.
March 8th, 2023 at 12:27 am
dude was marginal from the start. Jason over payed him year after year after year.
March 8th, 2023 at 12:29 am
Could have any hall of fame LT playing for Blows, he will be a sieve.
Blows can make any decent player look like mung.
March 8th, 2023 at 1:21 am
Dear Goatfarmer,
ENOUGH ALREADY!
Could you please post some new material?
March 8th, 2023 at 1:40 am
The Bucs are still $49 million over the cap. Today the hammer comes down. They have to get it under by 4pm. Expect more cuts.
IT’S HAMMER TIME
March 8th, 2023 at 1:41 am
Thanks Donnie, best of luck with your new team.
March 8th, 2023 at 2:17 am
Purely a cap move.
Smith will have a new starting job about 5 mins after free agency starts.
March 8th, 2023 at 2:24 am
If he was so great, why couldn’t he fetch any sort of draft capital prior to release? You’d think a team wouldn’t want to get into a bidding war come free agency
March 8th, 2023 at 2:29 am
Jimbo Says:
March 8th, 2023 at 1:40 am
“The Bucs are still $49 million over the cap. Today the hammer comes down. They have to get it under by 4pm. Expect more cuts.”
I thought they had until the start of the regular season?
March 8th, 2023 at 2:30 am
I’m not completely convinced Smith will stay gone.
Releasing him gives them the chance to re-sign him at a lower salary.
March 8th, 2023 at 3:02 am
Too many social chatting idiots have missed the mark on Donovan Smith. The LT protects the backside of a right-handed QB, and Donovan, you have been one of the most important Buccaneer players over the last 8-yrs and you have been an integral part of the Bucs success over the last few years, thank you for your service.
I do hope Buc Bonzai is right and do hope you get resigned by the Bucs. And if not, I have no doubt you will serve your next team well.
March 8th, 2023 at 3:40 am
LTs are hard positions to fill for 8 years with one person.
DS was difficult for many Bucs fans to watch….because
– In games, He played like a Hall of Famer
– But in other games he played awful…like Kenyatta Walker awful
I think for the most part, it was DS consistency of play whether it was good or bad that drove fans absolutely nuts…like me!!!!
March 8th, 2023 at 3:46 am
…..and I wouldn’t be surprised if DS goes to another team and start having Probowl seasons again….because alota times people are invigorated and inspired by new changes and surroundings …….think Donald Penn.
Any persons who are just talking smack about him just because in a negative manner tone needs to just squash it because you don’t play 8 years at one of the Premiere positions in football without being good.
March 8th, 2023 at 4:32 am
Bucs will rue the day when we let Donovan go, but the salary CAP is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Teams who ‘sell out’ for a couple years of glory eventually have to pay down the road.
Yahoo Sports recently evaluated all 32 teams salary CAP situation. All teams got lengthy write-ups except two. About the (then) #32 Saints they wrote: ‘No wonder Sean Payton wanted to go to Denver.’ And about the #31 Bucs they wrote: ‘Tampa Bay’s salary cap overlap in numerology spells the word “rebuild.” They could have just as easily written ‘No wonder Bruce Arians retired’.
Good luck Donovan. It’ll take less than a week for you to be with a Super Bowl contender. Unless of course you decide to join Ali in retirement.
March 8th, 2023 at 4:37 am
Bucs will rue the day when we let Donovan go, but the salary CAP is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Teams who ‘sell out’ for a couple years of glory eventually have to pay down the road.
Yahoo Sports recently evaluated all 32 teams salary CAP situation. All teams got lengthy write-ups except two. About the (then) #32 Saints they wrote: ‘No wonder Sean Payton wanted to go to Denver.’ And about the #31 Bucs they wrote: ‘Tampa Bay’s salary cap overlap in numerology spells the word “rebuild.” They could have just as easily written ‘No wonder Bruce Arians retired’.
Good luck Donovan. It’ll take less than a week for you to be with a Super Bowl contender. Unless you decide to join Ali in retirement.
March 8th, 2023 at 5:07 am
DS 76 was a good but not great ,dependable player for us. His elbow injury may have added to his troubles this last year. He has struggled at times with speed
rushers and penalties at times throughout his career. But this year his infractions negated big plays and took points off the board. For this reason I would say that he was a player that we could most afford to lose due to our salary cap constraints. Good luck Donovan and wish you well.
March 8th, 2023 at 5:36 am
So, now who will be the most hated Buccaneer? I vote for Devin White.
March 8th, 2023 at 5:37 am
We are now getting into the serious business of paying for kicking the salary
cap can down the road and signing so many oft injured “rental payers” with
cap hits that will be carried over this year. And we will probably lose good to great players that done nothing to justify being cut. I for one rue some of the decisions that got us here.
March 8th, 2023 at 6:01 am
I can’t wait to see DS dominate at his second career stop….in the PBA.
March 8th, 2023 at 6:27 am
Good luck Mr. Smith
March 8th, 2023 at 6:27 am
Donovan Smith was inconsistently good, never great. He had a couple of years where he wasn’t always a revolving door. Remember what Cam Jordan said when Smith was re-signed? Stop with the memorials. My question is where is Doosh LaRue in all of this? Haven’t seen his take.
March 8th, 2023 at 7:34 am
I never understood the hate for Smith. I guess it all started because a few draft analyst’s said he should have been 3rd or 4th rounder. If you think about it, when you get that many starts and that much success out of a player that the Bucs got out of Smith, he really should have been a 1st round pick.
March 8th, 2023 at 7:39 am
Jimbo I think its tuesday next week by 4 pm.
March 8th, 2023 at 7:42 am
Sorry its March 15th.
March 8th, 2023 at 7:55 am
Durable, Dependable
And
DONE!
Finally!!!!
Yesterday was a great day, right up there with letting the Soft Cancer go.
Jason Licht……. please stop acquiring players that don’t have a passion for football.
March 8th, 2023 at 8:01 am
He had all the talent and tools. He would unfortunately have stretches where he just didn’t seem interested and looked slow and would either get the holding penalty or worse just let the defense run right by. If he could have consistently played up to his capabilities he would have been the most dominant and respected in the league.
March 8th, 2023 at 8:10 am
A sad day, but an NFL business reality.
I liked Smith. He did well at arguably the second most important or difficult position in football: an NFL left tackle (for a righty QB).
That said, he did slip. If he was playing at an All-Pro level, he would not have gotten the apple & roadmap.
He will not last long on the FA market.
March 8th, 2023 at 8:38 am
I agree with the above comment – D. Smith was inconsistently good but not great.
We got 6 solid years from him (2 not so good) and he was very durable and stayed out of trouble off the field.
Good luck Donnie Smith.
March 8th, 2023 at 8:54 am
Lots of options, none as good. Why?
Who will coach his replacement? Blowzo kept the failed OL coich who combined with Leftwurst for the worst rushing attack in NFL history, and absent Brady’s 2 second release, would’ve been one of the worst pass blocking lines in NFL history.
Good luck to the Dongster. I will miss those critical holding penalties that probably cost the Bucs 2 wins last season, but he was out there.
March 8th, 2023 at 9:03 am
Lol. Smith would have made a better bullfighter than an ot, on more occasions than not. “Never laid a hand on me, coach!” And the days when Ole’ wasn’t letting people run around him to pummel the QB, he would get important drive killing holding penalties that cost us a bunch of games over the years. Only reason why this guy is still in the NFL is because Jameis was a little bit mobile (though pummeled many times by Smith inability to block), and Brady’s quick release. Good riddance. Should have never been signed to that extension in the first place.
March 8th, 2023 at 9:04 am
Watch him land with the Saints. “What salary cap?”
March 8th, 2023 at 9:13 am
Joe, knowing all of the variables…would you have kept Donovan?
March 8th, 2023 at 9:49 am
If he doesn’t get an offer from another team, I’d offer him a chance to play LG for 2-3 mill per season on a one or two year deal.
March 8th, 2023 at 9:54 am
Rob H,
Please stop saying that, it is just nonsense.
A guard actually has to make contact with the DL and often look for a second man to block.
It’s the trenches and he might get dirty.
Donnie just likes to backpedal and play paddy cakes.
March 8th, 2023 at 10:09 am
Has anyone watched him play?
This guy was the definition of marginal
March 8th, 2023 at 10:21 am
He’s the most penalized player in the league since 2015. 59 penalties in 129 games.
March 8th, 2023 at 10:46 am
You better pray David resigns. If he does not, that changes what we do in the draft or free agency considerably. Then you got a starting tackle and LB to replace. And let’s be honest here guys, I you were David? You would want to get Paid. I know I would. No such thing as loyalty and allegiance these days. It’s all about..Sho Me The Money.
March 8th, 2023 at 12:04 pm
I would like to add, over the 8 years, how many QBs missed games due to injuries (he blocked for a lot of past their prime QBs, I mean age wise (McCown, Fitz and TB12)
March 8th, 2023 at 1:57 pm
Good riddance..well over paid and under preformed..
Was not pro bowl caliber and at this point his slow foot work and play taking off skills won’t be required.
We need mean people on are oline if we wish to fix the God awful run game we have be subjected to the last 2 years.
Is Smith serviceable…yes
Is he needed for what we’re building I give a resounding no.
Only player I care to keep that is a option to lose is david.
Everyone else on the chopping block bon voyage.
Mike Edward’s plays 2k23 to much ..needed more time in his playroom I told him that on xbox..
Dean and bunting both are decent not world beaters I could careless if they stay or go..
The money is stretched thin.
We gotta peace out a few players.
I honestly feel Shaq Barrett is bogging down are salary and didn’t feel he was a world beater for the price he receives for his service.
I feel like we should part ways this year with any and all question marks.
Stop this need to stay relevant this year.
Let Trask get his feet wet have him compete against Winston.
Grab up some cheap prove it contracts from some vets and few rookies we know who will come in and earn a role.
I know the goal is to be competitive every year and sure Todd the toilet bowl 🚽 wants us to fight for wins.
If we don’t secure a guaranteed great qb like Rodgers or lamar..
We should just go full rebuild mode hopefully land a generational talent at qb next year n keep loading up on trench players while hoping we land a few free agents who can play in the secondary