It may be hard to believe, but Donovan Smith is already entering his eighth season with the Bucs. A second-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, he came to Tampa Bay by way of Penn State. And as the protector of Tom Brady’s blind side, he is playing the best football of his career.

So, eight seasons and two contracts in, Smith is in “career Buccaneer” territory. He could wear red and pewter for the duration of his career if he signs one more contract extension with Tampa Bay — whether that’s before his current one expires or when it eventually does.

Bucs LT Donovan Smith and GM Jason Licht – Photo by: Pewter Report

In an appearance on Monday’s Pewter Report Podcast, Smith was asked about potentially finishing his career with the team that drafted him. Simply put, he’s open to the idea.

“I don’t know of many guys who may have been drafted by a team and then [would] still be able to retire by the same team, to be able to spend all of those years with that team,” Smith said. “It’s definitely something that I would look forward to and [am] obviously not opposed to doing. I started there, and why not finish there? It’s definitely something I’ve thought about and it’s definitely there. But at the end of the day, we’ll see when that stuff comes or when that time comes because you never know.”

“That time” isn’t far off. Smith has two years left on his current contract, which means he’ll be a free agent in 2024. He’ll turn 31 before that 2024 season. It’s possible that the next contract he signs could be his last in the NFL.

It’s hard to imagine the Bucs not wanting to keep him around for the long haul, especially given his durability. He has missed just two games in his career while playing through countless injuries. That type of reliability is hard to find at any position, but for a left tackle, it’s just about miraculous. Not to mention, he seems to elevate his play with each passing year.

He may not have the Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections to show for it, but his teammates and coaches know. Bucs fans should know, too. So, if he retires as a Tampa Bay lifer, he may very well see his name up in the Ring of Honor inside Raymond James Stadium one day.

You can watch Smith’s full appearance on Monday’s Pewter Report Podcast here: