3 Free Agents the Patriots Should Sign Before Mandatory Minicamp
By Ryan Bunton
Donovan Smith, Offensive Tackle
Donovan Smith once protected Tom Brady's blindside with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now, with Drake Maye ushering a new era of quarterbacking in New England, could the Patriots take a chance on Smith?
New England currently heading into 2024 without a true left tackle, a big gamble to make at one of the most important positions on the field. They signed Chukwuma Okorafor this offseason from the Pittsburgh Steelers and have been on record as projecting Okorafor as their Week 1 starting left tackle. Neither Okorafor nor Caedan Wallace, the Patriots' third-rounder from Penn State, are natural left tackles. Meanwhile, Smith has been a starting left tackle on two Super Bowl championship teams and was the Kansas City Chiefs' LT as they won Super Bowl LVIII.
Smith has nine NFL seasons under his belt and turns 31 later this month. Even if he comes into camp and doesn't blow away the coaching staff, he could still provide value as as an experienced veteran.
Last season, the Patriots ranked second-to-last in the entire league in ESPN pass-blocking metric. Shoehorning two unproven right tackles into such a vital position is a risky endeavor, so Eliot Wolf and co. should protect themselves with some insurance via Smith.