TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – The Tampa Bay Buccaneers continue their off-season purge with the latest release – left tackle Donovan Smith.

On Monday, the team announced that they’ve decided to release Smith after eight seasons in Tampa Bay and just eight days before the start of the new NFL year. He had just one year left on the contract extension he signed in March 2021.

According to Bucs’ senior writer/editor Scott Smith, Tampa Bay must be in compliance with the 2023 salary cap by 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday, March 15.

“I want to thank Donovan for all that he has done for the Buccaneers on and off the field over the past eight seasons,” Buccaneers General Manager Jason Licht said in a statement. “He stepped in as our starter at left tackle in 2015 and his durability and dependability at one of the most important positions in football played a significant role in our offensive success during his time here.”

After being picked up by the Buccaneers in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, Smith started in 131 games over the eight seasons he was in Tampa Bay. His 123 regular season starts at the 10th-most in franchise history, according to the Buccaneers.

During the three years Brady was in Tampa, Smith and the Bucs allowed a league-low of 67 sacks in the regular season. During their Super Bowl run, Brady was only sacked six times in 144 dropbacks over four games, according to Smtih.

In addition to Smith’s release, the Bucs also previously released tight end Cameron Brate and veteran running back Leonard Fournette.