Roquan Smith

Smith leads the NFL in tackles (83) and is currently on pace for 176 tackles, five sacks and four interceptions. The former first-round pick is in the final ...

The former University of Georgia Unanimous All-American was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year and is considered one of the best coverage linebackers in the NFL. Smith joins one of the most prestigious positions in American sports: playing middle linebacker for the Baltimore Ravens. The former first-round pick is in the final year of his rookie contract with the Bears.

Smith, the No. 8 overall selection in the 2018 NFL Draft, has recorded 83 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions this season. Through four-plus seasons, the ...

Chicago fell to 3-5 on the year with a loss to Dallas over the weekend. Not only has Smith recorded double-digit tackles in all but two games this season, but he has 100-plus tackles in all four of his NFL seasons and his 246 tackles are the fourth-most in the NFL. Whether the Ravens can sign Smith to a long-term deal will validate this trade, but Baltimore is going for it. The rebuild is on. The Bears sent Quinn to Philadelphia last week in exchange for draft compensation. Chicago got three draft picks in return for Smith and Robert Quinn. Poles is stocking up draft capital in his first year on the job. Baltimore is atop the AFC North standings with a 5-3 record. Spotrac.com projects an average annual salary of $17.6 million, which would be the second-highest among active off-ball linebackers; a steep price to pay for the position. I love the kid. The Bears will receive second and fifth-round picks, along with linebacker A.J. Smith is the second high-profile defender dealt by the Bears in the last week -- just ahead of the NFL trade deadline (4 p.m.

3:43pm: The Bears will follow the Quinn formula with Smith's contract. They will eat $4.8MM of the remaining $5.4MM on Smith's deal, Schefter tweets.

](https://cdn.profootballrumors.com/files/2022/08/USATSI_16475570.jpg) [Baltimore attempted to keep](https://www.profootballrumors.com/2019/03/afc-north-notes-ravens-mosley-steelers-williams) [C.J. Pro Football Focus rates Smith behind [Patrick Queen](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/Q/QueePa00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-), [Josh Bynes](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/B/ByneJo00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) and [Malik Harrison](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HarrMa06.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) for 2022, but Baltimore’s trade certainly points to the organization not putting much stock in that placement. Mosley](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/search/search.fcgi?pid=MoslC.00,MoslC.20&search=C.J.+Mosley&utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) from defecting to the Jets in 2019, but a record-smashing contract nixed those hopes. Smith could change that, having been seeking a deal that eclipses [Shaquille Leonard](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/L/LeonDa00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-)‘s [$19.7MM-per-year contract](https://www.profootballrumors.com/2022/08/roquan-smith-seeking-20mm-per-year). [ate most of Quinn’s salary](https://www.profootballrumors.com/2022/10/more-on-bears-robert-quinn-trade) to up the price tag from the Eagles; it will be interesting to see if the rebuilding team is doing the same with Smith. Watt](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WattT.00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-). They are sending contract-year linebacker [Roquan Smith](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SmitRo07.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) to the Ravens, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on [Quinn’s departure](https://www.profootballrumors.com/2022/10/eagles-to-acquire-de-robert-quinn-from-bears) followed, and Smith will complete a full-on overhaul. [The Ravens are sending second- and fifth-round picks for Smith, according to ESPN.com’s Adam Schefter (on ](https://cdn.profootballrumors.com/files/2022/05/USATSI_15177575.jpg) [tweets](https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1587165838733459456). Klein](https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/K/KleiAJ00.htm?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-) in the swap, Rapoport adds (via This represents a nice return for a linebacker that would have been difficult for the Bears to cuff via the franchise tag. This move also comes not long after after a report indicated the Bears [would likely hang onto Smith through the deadline](https://www.profootballrumors.com/2022/10/bears-not-expected-to-trade-lb-roquan-smith).

The Baltimore Ravens have traded for Bears linebacker Roquan Smith to shore up the middle of their defense and we're grading the trade for both teams.

It might not be popular, but this is a win for the future of the Bears. And now the Bears are taking steps to further that process to build around Fields in a new regime. It’s undoubtedly a win for the Ravens to get a player of this caliber. While there have been flashes, that has not totally come to fruition and the position has remained a bit of a problem for this team. As such, it would’ve been somewhat unwise for a team that has salary cap troubles to invest so heavily in an off-ball linebacker, even one as talented as Smith, this offseason. Chicago has been active sellers ahead of the trade deadline as this move was their second headliner trade.

What impact will Smith have on the Ravens? What's the plan for the Bears without their best player? Here are the answers to the biggest questions.

[Marcus Peters](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/2578378/marcus-peters) in 2019 and missed on pass-rusher [Yannick Ngakoue](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3053044/yannick-ngakoue) in 2020. [Braxton Jones](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4251007/braxton-jones) has been decent, as his pass block win rate (89.7%) is second among rookie tackles, but he has allowed nine sacks this season -- second most behind only Indianapolis' [Matt Pryor](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3055886/matt-pryor) (10). 8 by ESPN's Football Power Index), and now two picks in the second round, the Bears have to focus early in the 2023 draft on addressing the left tackle position. Mosley](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/16720/cj-mosley) left after the 2018 season -- which is why the Ravens tried to sign [Bobby Wagner](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/14979/bobby-wagner) in free agency last March. [Shaquille Leonard](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3056362/shaquille-leonard) is the other). (He has 16.5 career sacks.) Smith has the pursuit speed and disruptive ability to create impact plays as a stack 'backer in Baltimore. Look for him to rack up tackles, match and carry in coverage and add to the front in Baltimore's pressure schemes. Chicago now has nine draft picks to make that happen in 2023, including additional second-round and fourth-round picks (two each) thanks to the Quinn and Smith trades. [Josh Bynes](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/14519/josh-bynes), who has started in the middle for the past two seasons, has been banged up this season and has shown signs of slowing down, especially in the passing game. As Smith's stock continued to rise, so did the possibility of Chicago using the franchise tag on the linebacker in the offseason, which might have caused further issues between the player and front office. Klein](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/15964/aj-klein) to Chicago, and the Bears are picking up $4.833 million of Smith's $5.408 million for the rest of the season, a source told Schefter. [Roquan Smith](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/3915189/roquan-smith), a source confirmed.

They will need to extend the former Bears linebacker who is in the final year of his contract. Plus, more on what we're hearing as we get closer to ...

And he knows how hard it is to win in this league and what we play through to get wins here and how we give it our all, and a guy that ... “He cares about you as a player and your family, and he knows what it takes to actually sacrifice and go through it because he’s been through it. “I never expected to get Christian, and it just kinda happened in a couple days, and to have him, to have a player like that, that’s what was so neat. The Rams, who made a monster, quarterback-level offer for Burns, are one team in that mix. [Week 8 takeaways](https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/10/31/nfl-week-8-takeaways-falcons-cowboys-patriots-mmqb), we gave the 12 teams with the most cap space ahead of tomorrow’s trade deadline. “You want to be in those situations with the game on the line to be trusted to make that play. “If you want to be a great receiver in this league, you want to be a go-to guy,” he said. Simply put, Detroit’s defense was a disaster, and someone had to pay the price. If this is purely about getting the ball, which it seems it is, then that’s probably not going to be great for his trade value since he’s in a competitive receiver room with the likes of Corey Davis, Garrett Wilson and Braxton Berrios among those competing for touches. I just want to continue to try to earn that respect.” And Smith is better in coverage than Queen, which should allow coordinator Mike Macdonald a little flexibility in how he deploys the two of them. They’ve made these sorts of deals in the past, with Eugene Monroe, Marcus Peters and Yannick Ngakoue big names to come in over the past decade.

NFL leading tackler Roquan Smith is relocating from the Chicago Bears to the heart of the Baltimore Ravens' defense, according to multiple reports.

A cambio de selecciones de draft y A.J, Klein, Bears cedió a su mejor jugador defensivo.

[Josh Bynes](https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol-americano/nfl/jugador/_/id/14519/josh-bynes) ha tenido problemas y [Patrick Queen](https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol-americano/nfl/jugador/_/id/4242207/patrick-queen) no ha cumplido con las expectativas de primera ronda. Es el segundo miembro de la defensiva de Chicago en ser canjeado antes de la fecha límite del 1 de noviembre. A lo largo de ocho juegos, Roquan Smith lidera la liga con 83 tacleadas totales y es tercero en la NFL con 52 tacleadas en solitario. A fines de marzo, los Ravens estuvieron cerca de firmar al agente libre [Bobby Wagner](https://espndeportes.espn.com/futbol-americano/nfl/jugador/_/id/14979/bobby-wagner), quien decidió firmar con [Los Angeles Rams](/futbol-americano/nfl/equipo/_/nombre/lar/los-angeles-rams). Roquan Smith, dos veces All-Pro del segundo equipo, brinda liderazgo y capacidad de ejecución de grandes jugadas a una defensiva de los Ravens que permite 22.9 puntos por juego, lo que lo ubica en el puesto 20 en la NFL. Una fuente informó a Adam Schefter de ESPN que los Ravens están enviando a los Bears una selección de segunda y quinta ronda en 2023 por Roquan Smith, quien encabeza la NFL con 83 tacleadas esta temporada.

Baltimore se hizo de los servicios del poderoso y experimentado linebacker.

A lo largo de ocho juegos, el jugador de 25 años lidera la NFL con 83 tacleadas, tiene 2.5 capturas, cuatro tacleadas para pérdida y dos intercepciones. 8 en 2018 generó 607 tacleadas y siete intercepciones en 69 juegos con los Bears. Smith elevará el nivel de los Ravens como dos veces All-Pro del segundo equipo.

Pese a ser uno de nueve equipos de la NFC con tres o cuatro victorias, los Chicago Bears están cambiando a sus mejores defensivos para reconstruir al equipo ...

Baltimore va líder de la AFC Norte, con 5-3. En su carrera, acumula 607 tackleadas, 7 intercepciones, 16.5 capturas y un fumble forzado. Quería un nuevo contrato y pidió ser cambiado en agosto, deseo que finalmente se materializó a un día del final de la fecha límite de traspasos. Chicago y Baltimore acordaron el cambio por el linebacker medio, con los Ravens enviando selecciones de segunda y quinta ronda del Draft del 2023, según múltiples reportes. [jueves ante los Buccaneers.](https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/otros-deportes/futbol-americano/2022/10/28/635b59d846163f264f8b4572.html) [Baltimore alarga la mala racha de los Bucs de Brady](https://www.marca.com/claro-mx/otros-deportes/futbol-americano/2022/10/28/635b59d846163f264f8b4572.html)

Los Ravens entregaron a los Chicago Bears selecciones de segunda y quinta ronda del Draft de 2023 junto al linebacker A.J. Klein para adquirir a Smith.

Bateman fue reclutado en la primera ronda del Draft de 2021, pero las lesiones han sido una constante en su novel carrera. Baltimore superó a los Tampa Bay Buccaneers en el TNF de la Semana 8, pero han perdido al wide receiver Rashod Bateman por una lesión en el pie que lo mantendrá marginado durante unas semanas. El único inconveniente es que el contrato de Smith acaba al finalizar la temporada actual y se convertirá en agente libre sin restricciones por lo que los Ravens deberán abrir la cartera para extender permanencia en Baltimore.

Former Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith has been traded to the Baltimore Ravens and Twitter had a field day.

This move comes just hours before this year's trade deadline and days after Smith was visibly emotional after learning that his then-teammate Robert Quinn had been dealt to the [Philadelphia Eagles](http://nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles). From the beginning, Smith was seen as an essential part of the Bears' plans to become contenders in the NFC North. Now the Bears' defense will look a bit different.

NFL leading tackler Roquan Smith is relocating from the Chicago Bears to the heart of the Baltimore Ravens' defense, according to multiple reports.

NFL leading tackler Roquan Smith is relocating from the Chicago Bears to the heart of the Baltimore Ravens' defense, according to multiple reports.

Smith, 25, is a two-time second-team All-Pro with the Bears and was drafted eighth overall out of Georgia in 2018. He has 608 total tackles and 14.5 sacks in 69 career games. Poles traded defensive end Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles last week.

Five days after trading Robert Quinn, Bears GM Ryan Poles cashed in his best trade chip, dealing Roquan Smith to the Ravens. With each move, we learn a ...

He might not be as good as he thought he was, but he's still a 25-year-old Pro Bowl linebacker who is leading the NFL in tackles. Instead, Poles elected to cash in his best chip to continue to focus on the future. Add in his age, and he never fit the timeline Poles has constructed to turn the Bears into contenders. The Bears have now picked up a second-, fourth-, and fifth-round pick for Smith and Quinn. The 25-year-old linebacker wanted to be the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the NFL. The Bears wanted to see how the 25-year-old performed as the WILL linebacker in head coach Matt Eberflus' defense before paying him like game-changing backers Shaquille Leonard or Fred Warner.

The Ravens have landed linebacker Roquan Smith in a trade with the Bears, a source confirmed to ESPN. Chicago will receive second- and fifth-round picks, ...

Including the second- and fifth-round selections Chicago received for Smith, the Bears have nine draft picks in 2023. Baltimore likely won't use the franchise tag on Smith because the team is expected to do so with quarterback His solo tackles tally alone would rank him second on the Ravens' total tackles list, one behind Queen's 53. Smith ended his hold-in after nearly a month and returned to practice Aug. 9, Smith publicly demanded a trade after he described contract talks between himself and the organization as "distasteful." Smith, 25, has the second-most tackles (606) in the NFL since 2018, trailing only Wagner (656). A two-time second-team All-Pro, Smith provides leadership and playmaking ability to a Ravens defense that is allowing 22.9 points per game, which ranks 20th in the NFL. He reported to training camp on time in July and was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury. A source told ESPN's Adam Schefter that the Ravens are sending the Bears a second- and a fifth-round pick in 2023 for Smith, who tops the NFL with 83 tackles this season. This is another aggressive move by Eric DeCosta, who made his third trade-deadline deal in his fourth year as Ravens general manager. Smith was owed $5.408 million for the rest of the season. [Josh Bynes](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/14519/josh-bynes) has struggled and [Patrick Queen](https://www.espn.com/nfl/player/_/id/4242207/patrick-queen) has fallen short of first-round expectations.

Smith, 25, was drafted by for general manager Ryan Pace and the Bears in the 2018 NFL draft with the No. 8 overall pick. He is playing in his fifth season.

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The Chicago Bears were giving out treats in the form of star players on Halloween as they traded linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for a ...

Smith is likely going to be a rental for the Ravens for the second half of the season before becoming a free agent. The Chicago Bears were giving out treats in the form of star players on Halloween as they traded linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for a second and fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, as well as veteran linebacker A.J. But Smith and Poles got off to a rocky start due to a standoff with a contract extension. There are many needs on this team that draft picks can help fill if used correctly, but at the same time, the Bears are losing one of their best players who is still very much in his prime. Smith finishes his Bears season with a league-leading 83 tackles, four for loss, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions. It’s the second deal the Bears have made in a week after

The Bears are not done making moves, however, and their latest deal sees another core component of their defense finding a new home. Chicago traded former first ...

If Baltimore finds a way to ink him to a new deal, this would be an even better move for the Ravens, as Smith is one of the game’s better off-ball linebackers. This move perhaps shores up both the inside linebacker position, as well as the outside linebacker position, for the rest of the season. Because Smith is one of the better off-ball coverage linebackers in the league, and that skill-set shows up on plays like this interception against the Houston Texans, where you can see how comfortable he is in zone coverage: With injuries to the wide receiver room, adding a target for Lamar Jackson seems like a smart move, and that could still happen. They could have held on to Smith for the rest of the season and continued to work out a contract, and settled for what would likely have been a compensatory pick in the third round had Smith left in the offseason. We pay them, we take care of them and we take everyone for what they’ve done and what they can become in the future. With the trade of Quinn late last week, it became clear that Poles was going to add draft capital in preparation for the 2023 offseason. As it stands right now, the Bears have four picks in the top 75 selections, with Baltimore’s second-round selection in the mix. At the end of the day, we’ve got to do what’s best for the Chicago Bears. [Ravens will also be taking on just a fraction Smith’s salary this season](https://twitter.com/AdamSchefter/status/1587183225838911489?s=20&t=TAtp1afiEFmufoYTb3vfyg), as he is in the final year of his rookie contract. For whatever reason, it seems like Smith was not in the long-term plans of new general manager Ryan Poles. In terms of our philosophy in the front office, I’ve always believed and always will that we take care of our homegrown talent.

Dan Orlovsky says the Ravens are the second-scariest team in the NFL. The emergence of other pass-catchers in the absence of Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman ...

"Alternatively, they could let him walk and, depending on how they manage the rest of free agency, could recoup a mid-round compensatory pick (a year later) for him — and no one works the compensatory pick system quite like the Ravens. Smith will be one of the most coveted players on the market and should command top dollar." [Ebony Bird's Justin Fried:](https://ebonybird.com/2022/10/31/ravens-roquan-smith-trade-cornerstone/) "it's hard to deny that the addition of Smith won't take the Ravens' defense to another level. [Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer:](https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/10/31/nfl-week-8-roquan-smith-nfl-trade-deadline-maqb) "As for what he'll do for the Ravens on the field, pairing Smith with Patrick Queen off the ball will make it a real challenge for offensive lines to get up on Baltimore at the second level. [Russell Street Report's Chad Racine](https://russellstreetreport.com/2022/10/31/knee-jerk-reactions/knee-jerk-reactions-ravens-trade-for-roquan-smith/): "Brilliant move by Eric DeCosta at a position that could use the help. And Smith is better in coverage than Queen, which should allow coordinator Mike Macdonald a little flexibility in how he deploys the two of them." [The Baltimore Sun's Ryan McFadden:](https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bs-sp-ravens-roquan-smith-instant-analysis-20221031-fp6bi5x3lzct5p2h5mttacn7aa-story.html) "This is a huge win for the Ravens. Not only has Smith recorded double-digit tackles in all but two games this season, but he has 100-plus tackles in all four of his NFL seasons and his 246 tackles are the fourth-most in the NFL. … Smith looks like a steal for a second- and fifth-round pick, and the Ravens wouldn't have made this deal unless they were extremely confident they would sign him to an extension (and not acquire him as a three-month rental)." [CBS Sports' Josh Edwards:](https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/roquan-smith-trade-grades-for-ravens-bears-baltimore-acquires-two-time-all-pro-linebacker/) "The Ravens are certainly getting a playmaker on a defense who has turned things around over the last few weeks. "Downhill, pull-and-pin-type guys in the run game and linebackers that can run east and west, sideline to sideline. "The Ravens defense just got a lot better.

The Chicago Bears trading Roquan Smith may be surprising just in the fact that they use him as an every-down player. Robert Quinn played close to 70% of the ...

Thomas could compete with Klein, and Adams would remain behind Morrow, but for now, we could see Sanborn play 100% of the snaps the rest of the season. Sanborn would probably be more suited for the WILL anyways, but because of Roquan Smith, he has not been able to play there. Still, the Chicago Bears started Sanborn for the first time on Sunday, and they just traded for Klein, which may signify where they stand on Adams and Thomas.

The Chicago Bears are trading star linebacker Roquan Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for 2023 second- and fifth-round picks, along with linebacker A.J. Klein.

Klein in the Smith trade, and Klein is a solid depth option on the roster. Klein is a former fifth-round pick by the Panthers in the 2013 NFL draft. Now with Smith’s departure, Thomas is an important depth piece at the linebacker position. Sanborn is listed on the depth chart as Roquan Smith’s backup at WILL linebacker, an indicator we could see a lot more of Sanborn this season. Adams suffered a calf injury in a Week 5 loss to the Vikings, and he’s eligible to return as early as Week 10, when Chicago hosts the Lions at Soldier Field. Morrow is now the leader in the linebacker room following Smith’s departure.

If there was any doubt that Poles has carte blanche to rebuild the Bears how he sees fit, it went out the window Monday when Poles traded star linebacker Roquan ...

In trading Smith, the Bears went all-in on Poles' vision. It's the move he'll be judged on based on the success of his rebuild. Almost every general manager tasked with a full rebuild has a moment that defines his reign. Yes, he's the NFL's leading tackler. It's cold and calculated, to be sure. Hell, given the state of the Bears' roster, turning Smith into two draft picks and choosing not to give him the $20 million per year contract extension he wanted is smart business.