Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid.
The Kansas City Chiefs made several offseason additions that can help them in their journey to win back-to-back championships. Yet Alex Ballentine of Bleacher Report warns that one of Kansas City’s most recent veteran signings has bust potential, which could create problems for the Chiefs’ high-powered offense in 2023.
In an article in which Ballentine predicted every NFL teams’ biggest bust of the 2023 season, offensive tackle Donovan Smith was Ballentine’s choice for the defending Super Bowl champions.
“The narrative surrounding Smith is that, with the benefit of playing for Andy Reid and a Super Bowl contender in the Chiefs, the veteran will bounce back from a terrible 2022 campaign. Smith played in 13 games last season, giving up six sacks and drawing 12 penalties,” Ballentine wrote on July 10.
“But Smith is going from protecting Tom Brady to Patrick Mahomes. Even with Brady playing his final season he’s the easiest quarterback to protect in the league. According to Next Gen Stats, Brady got the ball out quicker than anyone, averaging just 2.45 seconds.
“Brady was a master manipulator of the pocket and only took 22 total sacks last season. Protecting Mahomes is certainly a more difficult ask and it’s reasonable to be dubious that Smith is up for it.”
Donovan Smith Hoping For Bounce-Back Season
Donovan Smith, 29, entered the NFL as a second-round pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2015. Over the last eight seasons he was a full-time starter in Tampa Bay and surrendered 41 sacks in 124 career regular season starts according to PFF.
In seven career playoff games, one of which was the Super Bowl LV victory over the Chiefs, Smith surrendered 3 total sacks (none of which were against Kansas City).
During the 2022 season, Smith gave up a total of 31 pressures (18 QB hurries, 7 QB hits, 6 sacks) in 13 regular season starts. He also had the second-most penalties called on him among all NFL offensive linemen (12), according to Football Database. Those penalties were for offensive holding (7), false start (4), and illegal use of hands (1).
Chiefs Planned on Putting Jawaan Taylor at LT
Following the Taylor signing, Sam McDowell of the Kansas City Star reported that the Chiefs believe Taylor is athletic enough to make the transition to left tackle. “Will wait to see how the next few days/weeks shake out, but anticipate him on the left side,” McDowell wrote on March 13.
But if Donovan Smith — who has exclusively been a left tackle during his eight years in the NFL — can prove he’s still a starter in the NFL, then it’s possible the Chiefs will keep Taylor at right tackle. That would make Taylor the second-highest paid right tackle in the NFL based on total guarantees ($60 million) according to Over the Cap.
But if Smith can bounce back and prove he is capable of consistently protecting Patrick Mahomes’ blindside, then the Chiefs will also have a bargain at left tackle, making Taylor’s contract a bit more digestible.