Do The Bears Chase After Donovan Smith?

The Bucs are set to release Donovan Smith. Where will he go?

With a former offensive lineman as a general manager, the Chicago Bears are in line to beef up the protection for Justin Fields. There are several star offensive linemen set to hit the open market and Ryan Poles has connections to some of them. But a new name in Donovan Smith has surfaced and the intrigue is filled with potential.

NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reported yesterday that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are releasing the 29-year-old tackle. The move saves Tampa Bay nearly $10 million, according to FOXsports reporter Greg Auman.

Who Is Donovan Smith?

The Bucs drafted Donovan Smith 34th overall in the second round of the 2015 NFL draft. He's been their starting left tackle ever since and has only missed six games in his career.

Tampa Bay placed the franchise tag on Smith during the 2019 season. The following year, Smith signed a three-year extension worth almost $14 million per year, according to Spotrac.

The Bucs also gave Smith over $1 million more per year for the 2021-23 seasons. After being cut, Smith will hit the open market and should have little trouble finding a new home.

Since the Bears have the most salary cap space in the NFL, they can afford to pay a proven talent on the offensive line.

The Bears Need Linemen

The intrigue surrounding Donovan Smith is high and the Chicago Bears need offensive linemen. Protecting Fields is something Ryan Poles definitely intends on doing, given his background. And while there are other options on the market for the left tackle position, Smith is one of the more reliant ones.

NFL free agency is right around the corner and the Bears have a lot of money to play with. They don't even have to spend all of it to make an immediate impact on this roster. But that grants Poles some wiggle room and the ability to keep every option open.

The Bears should bring in someone like Smith to solidify the left tackle position. Plus, they don't have to stop there. They can continue to sign players rounding out the depth chart before we even get close to the draft. Maybe that allows Poles to navigate the draft a bit differently, filling the rest of the holes on this roster.