Donovan Smith Chiefs contract: How much will former Bucs OT earn in 2023?

Donovan Smith will protect Patrick Mahomes’ blind side after agreeing to a one-year deal of up to $9 million with the Kansas City Chiefs. The eight-year veteran will replace Orlando Brown Jr., who joined the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason.

NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero shared the news about Smith’s new contract.

Smith was a part of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that won Super Bowl LV over the Chiefs. He is also a member of the 2015 All-Rookie Team by the Pro Football Writers Association.

The former Penn State standout will join an offensive line that allowed zero sacks on Mahomes to win Super Bowl LVII against the Philadelphia Eagles. He will be a projected starter along with center Creed Humphrey, and guards Trey Smith and Joe Thuney. Jawaan Taylor will be lining up on the opposite side at right tackle.

The Buccaneers selected Donovan Smith in round two (34th overall) in the 2015 NFL Draft. He was the seventh offensive lineman taken in that draft, behind eventual Pro Bowlers Brandon Scherff, Andrus Peat, and Laken Tomlinson, among others.

Smith didn’t miss a game in his first four NFL seasons, making 124 career starts in as many games played.

Donovan Smith is raring to bounce back from a down season

Tampa Bay released Donovan Smith after eight seasons due to a decline in his performance. While he dealt with an elbow injury for almost the entire season, he surrendered career-highs of six sacks and 22 pressures, per Pro Football Focus.

Those metrics prompted PFF to rank him 66th out of 81 offensive tackles last season. In comparison, Brown Jr. was ranked 19th.

Meanwhile, ESPN credited him with 12 penalties, the second-most in the league. He also had a dismal pass rush win rate of 78.3 percent and a run block win rate of 64.9 percent.

Releasing Smith was also a cap-saving move because he still had an existing two-year, $31 million deal that would have expired only after the 2023 season.

There is a greater need to protect Patrick Mahomes because he is now playing under his 10-year, $450 million contract extension. The Chiefs will be in huge salary cap turmoil if the two-time NFL Most Valuable Player cannot perform due to injury

Likewise, bringing in Donovan Smith means that Taylor won’t be forced to play left tackle. The Chiefs brought in the former Jacksonville Jaguars offensive lineman on a four-year, $80 million deal. However, Taylor has played only 154 snaps at left tackle

With Smith and Taylor playing in their natural positions, Patrick Mahomes will be better protected against the league’s best edge rushers.