Getty Kansas City Chiefs starting left tackle Donovan Smith.
Kansas City Chiefs starting left tackle and pending free agent Donovan Smith hinted via a post on X, formerly Twitter, that he will be playing elsewhere in 2024 after one season in Kansas City.
Smith commented on former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Quandre Diggs’ post about being cut by Seattle on March 5. Smith’s response was, “Wassup where we going,” followed by several “eyeballs” emojis.
@qdiggs6 Wassup where we going 👀👀👀
Diggs then wrote “big reunion!!” for which Smith responded with a GIF of comedian Bert Kreischer that said, “[expletive] it, I’m in. Let’s do it.”
Though Smith has not publicly ruled out re-signing with Kansas City, his reply to Diggs — who isn’t expected to be on the Chiefs’ radar during free agency — implies that he has intentions of playing elsewhere in 2024.
Donovan Smith Serviceable as Chiefs’ Starter
Smith, 30, signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in 2023 and was serviceable as the team’s starting left tackle last season.
In 13 regular season games played, Smith surrendered 42 total quarterback pressures (33 hurries, 7 hits, 2 sacks) and had 9 penalties called against him, according to PFF. In three postseason games, Smith surrendered 11 total QB pressures (8 hurries, 2 hits, 1 sack) and had 1 penalty called against him.
Smith, though capable of being the starter in Kansas City in 2024, was never the long-term answer for the team at left tackle. The best-case scenario heading into the offseason was that the Chiefs could re-sign Smith to another cheap deal and then acquire his future replacement via the draft.
But based on Smith’s tweet, that option is off the table. Instead, Kansas City might acquire another veteran OT on a short-term deal during free agency, or they could opt to draft a starter in what looks to be a very deep and talented draft at OT. They could also draft an OT on Day 2 or Day 3 of the draft and develop them over the next year or so in hopes of that player being the starter in 2025 or beyond.
Tyron Smith, an eight-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro who is set to hit free agency after 13 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, is a viable short-term option for the Chiefs.
Smith turns 34 on December 12, and Spotrac calculates his market value to be a one-year deal worth $7.4 million.
Twitter/X Chats About Chiefs, Free Agency
Users on X have been chatting about the Chiefs and what they expect and/or hope from the team during free agency, which officially begins on March 13.
“One positional note heading into free agency is that decent safeties are getting cut and that market should be depressed,” Matt Conner of Arrowhead Addict wrote. “Means the Chiefs could likely approach Mike Edwards about returning on the cheap and it’d be a good option for him to take it.”
“KC needs to add some legit deep threat wide receivers in free agency guys like Darnell Mooney, Marquise Brown,DJ Chark jr, Gabr Davis etc,” another user wrote. “KC needs add a couple Deep target receivers in free agency.”
“The Chiefs obviously need wide receiver help, and as much as everyone is joking about Xavier Worthy going there, I wouldn’t be surprised for them to make a play for Calvin Ridley in free agency,” another user wrote.
“Chiefs like to zag when everyone else zigs. They could go for a vet RB and use a weapon there instead of going high end on WR,” another user wrote. Or maybe they go for someone like [Kyle] Pitts to shore up on tight end. I wont be surprised if they go RB or TE heavy on free agency.”