RAVENS TRADE FOR BEARS LB ROQUAN SMITH
The Baltimore Ravens acquired fifth-year linebacker Roquan Smith via a trade with the Chicago Bears on Monday.
Baltimore traded a 2023 second-round and fifth-round pick for Smith, including sending linebacker AJ Klein the other way to Chicago. Smith was owed $5.408 million for 2022 and as per the trade agreement between Chicago and Baltimore, the Bears will pay $4.833 million with the Ravens paying the remaining $575,000. The Ravens have two fifth-round picks (its own and New England’s fifth-rounder) and the Bears will get the higher of the two.
The move is an interesting one from Bears general manager Ryan Poles as Smith becomes the second defender to be traded by Chicago in the last fortnight after the team also traded Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles last week. The Bears are now set to have $100 million in cap space in the offseason, by far the most in the NFL, and have a total 9 projected picks in 2023, including four picks in the first three rounds.
The Bears are looking to the future as the team traded away 31-year-old linebacker Khalil Mack in March, released 32-year-old linebacker Danny Trevathan, and allowed 32-year-old defensive end Akiem Hicks and 28-year-old defensive tackle Eddie Goldman to leave via free agency. Based on Poles’ first draft this year, the Bears have a chance to completely reshape the team’s foundation for the long-term future.
The only caveat with the trade for Baltimore is that the Ravens will now have two players on their fifth-year options and slated for big contract extensions in Smith and quarterback Lamar Jackson. Smith is currently playing on $9.7 million for the year and held in during training camp in August as he was frustrated by the lack of a long-term deal from the Bears organization. As it stands, the Ravens can use their franchise tag on Lamar Jackson if an extension is not agreed upon by March next year. This would mean Smith either hits free agency or signs a new contract. Smith and Jackson both represent themselves and don’t have agents, and the Ravens will now have to deal with two player/agents this offseason.
Smith, 25, was a captain on the Chicago defense and now joins a talented defensive unit with enough youth to dominate in the league for many years to come.
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson said via 670TheScore after the Roquan Smith trade: “It’s hard to put into words. I know his value and not just on the field. I’m really just trying to think of ways I can help the organization be better and kind of fill whatever role he had. Really trying to find a way to add that leadership value back into the organization, add that ‘IT’ factor back to the organization. He’s definitely not somebody that you can just replace and we lost a big thing today.”
“There are some decisions that need to be made and they’re not easy decisions,” Johnson spoke of the front office’s decision on Monday. “I feel like the front office is doing what they feel is best for the future of the Bears organization.”
Despite the Bears’ struggles, Smith is having his best year yet. He not only has 32 defensive stops this year, tied for the second-most in the league but also leads the NFL in tackles (83) this season. An incredibly talented off-the-ball linebacker, Smith has been consistent for the Bears over the last five seasons, putting up the second-most tackles (607) in the NFL over that time. Only former Seahawks linebacker and current Los Angeles Ram Bobby Wagner has more tackles than him (656). He is also the only player with multiple sacks (2.5), multiple interceptions (2), and multiple tackles for loss (4) this season.
A former Georgia linebacker, Roquan Smith, is also one of only two players over the last 5 seasons with 500+ tackles and 15+ sacks, along with Colts Pro Bowl linebacker Shaquille Leonard. He also leads the league in defensive stops (330) in that period and has the highest sack rate (6.4%) for players with a minimum of 200 pass rushes. The Ravens now add the tackling machine to a defense that has struggled so far this year, currently ranking 28th in yards allowed and 20th in points allowed.
The Ravens are also not done at the linebacker position and will activate linebackers Tyus Bowser and David Ojabo this week, as per head coach John Harbaugh. There’s also a strong possibility Bowser will play next week against the Saints as the team monitors the health of veteran linebacker Josh Bynes. The addition of former first-round draft pick Roquan Smith means the Ravens will have 11 first-round or second-round picks on defense when healthy including Calais Campbell, Jason Pierre-Paul, Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo, Tyus Bowser, Patrick Queen, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, Marcus Williams, and Kyle Hamilton.
Smith is expected to make his debut with the Baltimore Ravens on Monday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints next week.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Thomson200. This file is made available under the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.