Buccaneers: 3 most underrated players in the playoffs
By Rob Leeds
The Buccaneers have their tackles of the future
In the past three games, the Buccaneers have only given up five sacks. Ironically enough, the Bucs had five sacks alone against Aaron Rodgers in the NFC Championship. The limited pressure on Brady has been a huge turning point for the offensive success, and Donovan Smith’s improved performance should not go unnoticed.
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For all the fans that were expecting the Buccaneers to move on from Smith this summer and draft a replacement, you may want to quit reading now. Smith may be an extremely expensive option during a year where the Bucs need as much cap space as possible, but Tampa Bay is unlikely to make a change at left tackle any time soon.
Of the five sacks that have occurred, Smith has been responsible for zero, and a performance like that is what the Buccaneers have desperately needed for the entirety of his career.
With three stellar games already under his belt, Smith is an extremely likely candidate to return to Tampa next season, even if the fans don’t see it. Smith has improperly become a lightning rod for displeasure at the offensive line’s lack of success in recent years, but that myth has been dispelled.
The Chiefs still have a deadly pass rush, but Donovan Smith has a chance to finish the postseason with a clean sheet, and the leadership can’t overlook that level of success.
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