Getty Left tackle Donovan Smith, formerly of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, leaves the field after a loss against the Washington Football Team at FedExField on November 14, 2021 in Landover, Maryland. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
The Chicago Bears have already traded down once in the NFL Draft. If they do so again, how the team will choose to address its primary weaknesses becomes murkier.
Should the Bears stay at No. 9, the prevailing sentiment among draft experts is that the franchise will select its left tackle of the future, either in the form of Northwestern’s Peter Skoronski or Ohio State’s Paris Johnson Jr. If not, the only answer on the O-line is free agency.
Perhaps the best option left via the free agent path is eight-year veteran Donovan Smith, whom the Tampa Bay Buccaneers released in March. The Bears have several moving parts on the offensive front, though Smith can slot in nicely should the team decide to make the former second-round pick a priority.
Addition of Smith Would Shake Up Starting Roles on Bears’ O-Line
GettyLeft tackle Donovan Smith (right) helps quarterback Tom Brady (left) to his feet after a hit.
Maurice Moton of Bleacher Report on Friday, April 7, predicted that Smith will ink the most lucrative contract of any free agent offensive lineman still available.
Moton added that Chicago makes the most sense as a destination for the accomplished veteran and former Super Bowl champion, specifically if the team wants to transition Braxton Jones into a new role in 2023.
Smith isn’t a Pro-Bowl or All-Pro tackle, though he’s had a decent career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Going into his age-30 term, Smith should be able to push for a starting job, which means a team may be willing to pay him at least $10 million per year.
Thus far, seven offensive linemen have signed deals worth $10 million or more annually in free agency. Smith should be the eighth. … If the Chicago Bears prefer to move Braxton Jones into a backup role, Smith could start at left tackle in the Windy City.
While Moton suggested a backup role for Smith, head coach Matt Eberflus recently discussed potentially moving Jones to right tackle and keeping him in a starting role.
“That’s all open right now,” Eberflus told Jason Lieser of The Chicago Sun-Times on March 28. “We have to go through the draft and see what we do there.”
Moving Jones to the right side is a logical outcome whether the Bears sign Smith in free agency, or decide to draft either Johnson or Skoronski with the 9th overall pick.
Signing Smith Would Give Bears Flexibility in NFL Draft
GettyHead coach Matt Eberflus (left) of the Chicago Bears talks with general manager Ryan Poles (right) prior to a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Soldier Field on January 8, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Moton projected a three-year, $33 million contract for Smith this offseason, with $20 million guaranteed. The left tackle most recently signed a two-year extension worth $31.8 million in March of 2021 to remain with the Bucs.
Smith has been a solid cog in Tampa Bay’s offensive line since entering the NFL, appearing in and starting 124 of a possible 130 regular season games during the course of his career, per Pro Football Reference. He can provide solid protection for quarterback Justin Fields as a reliable starter at left tackle should Chicago decide to trade down again or go another way with its first-round pick later this month.
The Bears might decide to draft defensive tackle Jalen Carter out of Georgia should he fall to them at No. 9. If not, looking to move back a few spots and select an edge rusher could also be in the cards.