Tampa Bay Buccaneers NFL Free Agency 2019: Donovan Smith or Trent Brown?

There could not be a even bigger final decision when it comes to free company than Donovan Smith. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to decide no matter if or not they want to pay back him a shade about $14 million on a franchise tag or indicator him to a prolonged-term deal.

Reports are that Smith is anticipated to return future 12 months. In accordance to Scott Reynolds of pewterreport.com, Smith will either indicator a prolonged-term deal with all-around $12-$13 million each year or enjoy beneath the aforementioned $14 million franchise tag.

Most of the time, this is an easy final decision for a still left tackle that has began each and every video game throughout their NFL vocation. But Smith is unique. Yes, he’s been elite in conditions of toughness – he’s only just one of seven offensive lineman to start off each and every video game since 2015 – but he’s been the exact opposite on the subject.

Inconsistency has plagued Smith’s vocation in Tampa Bay. There have been moments where he seems like an All-Pro and there have been times where he seems like he does not belong in the NFL.

The draw back to the two offers is quite evident. Both you shell out a prolonged-term deal and Smith proceeds to enjoy as he has in the past or you cough up $14 million in 2019 and hope he operates out.

Really do not forget about the fact that if he lights it up beneath the franchise tag, then his value for a prolonged-term deal could be even additional in 2020.

The moreover side is that if Smith does in fact ball out in 2019, then the Bucs will ideally have their solution at that posture.

When you add everything collectively and consider the Bucs’ wage cap condition, the final decision concerning Smith could dictate how free company performs out for Tampa Bay in 2019.

But what if Tampa Bay experienced a further option? What if there was a further participant they could roll the dice on for a identical value, but stated participant has a lot additional upside than Smith?

Enter Trent Brown.

I in-depth Brown a bit in my offensive line preview for free company. He is pretty much the exact opposite of Smith. Brown has overachieved all over his total vocation and was a seventh round decide, while Smith has been underwhelming overall and was drafted in the second round.

NFL scouts have experienced their eye on Brown for the past couple of seasons now following Von Miller declared that Brown was just one of the best tackles he has experienced played from in the NFL.

What helps make him all the additional important – specially for Tampa Bay – is the fact that he can enjoy the two still left and appropriate tackle. This is critical contemplating the fact that Demar Dotson is finding more mature and has battled by means of accidents about the past two seasons. At 26 years previous, Brown would present an up-and-coming, flexible option that could enable Ali Marpet anchor the offensive line for years to arrive.

The expectation is that Brown will get compensated, but how a lot? 1 of our possess at Bucs Nation believes that Brown could reset the market place contemplating how a lot he has enhanced about the years and the fact that he just gained the Tremendous Bowl with the New England Patriots.

Definitely, this is worst-situation situation when it comes to Brown’s deal condition and the Bucs’ wage cap posture. Nate Solder will have the maximum cap hit in 2019 out of all offensive lineman at $17 million. If Brown were being to reset the market place, then he would have to make additional than $17 million, even if it is just a greenback additional.

Now, there is also a possibility that he does not command this a lot cash. Whilst Brown has played very well so considerably, he was put on IR with a shoulder injuries in 2017 and was traded to the Patriots throughout the 2018 draft.

He could not even began at all in 2018 if it weren’t for to start with-round decide Isaiah Wynn’s ACL injuries that expense him his rookie 12 months. Brown has great upside, but he has not pretty put it all collectively just yet and that could expense him a couple of million.

But let us say his value tag charges everywhere involving $12-$16 million – ought to the Bucs just take the possibility on him in its place of Smith? It’s a dice roll on the two gamers, but Brown appears to be to have additional upside. Would the (probably) excess $2-$3 million for Brown really make any difference in the grand plan of items?

Just some thing to chew on as we continue on to grind by means of the times in advance of free company.