Roquan Smith

For the Ravens, the deal leaves open the franchise tag as they approach the offseason in negotiations with quarterback Lamar Jackson, whose contract expires at ...

The Ravens have reportedly agreed in principle to a five-year, $100 million deal, making Roquan Smith the highest-paid inside linebacker in NFL history.

"He wants to do the things that are required to be a great player and to be a great unit and then to impact your team. He was also a physical tone-setter in Baltimore's defense, showing he's ready to lead the unit into a playoff rematch against the AFC North rival Cincinnati Bengals. He finished the regular season with the third-most tackles in the league (169) and was voted to his first Pro Bowl. The Bears originally told Smith he was still in their long-term plans but dealt him to the Ravens for a reported second-round pick before the Nov. Smith earned the deal he was looking for in Baltimore, which would make him the highest-paid inside linebacker in league history with a $20 million average. Smith was in the final year of his rookie contract.

Baltimore Beatdown reacts to the news of the Ravens signing LB Roquan Smith.

A star at Georgia, top-10 pick and early All-Pro, Smith is the type of player you want as the face of your franchise. Smith is the epitome of a modern linebacker in that sense. Roquan Smith is one of the best off-ball linebackers in the NFL. With that being said, Smith fits the mold of a traditional “Raven” and brings undeniable value to the team both as a player and leader. While Roquan will raise the Ravens floor and contribute to regular season success for the duration of his second contract, this decision may ultimately prove detrimental to the team. The draft picks used to trade for Smith, coupled with the salary cap space he occupies will likely leave the Ravens shorthanded at a more valuable position, such as wide receiver or cornerback, in 2023 and beyond. This move also means that the Ravens will have one less priority to juggle this offseason and can use the franchise tag on quarterback Lamar Jackson if a deal is not reached with him in time. The investment is large, and the position isn’t as valuable in the traditional sense anymore… The addition of Smith changed the defense. Now, the Ravens have an All-Pro linebacker for the next five years under contract and the franchise option if need be. The Baltimore Ravens have signed linebacker Roquan Smith to a five-year, $100 million deal with $45 million guaranteed. In the weeks that followed, Smith showed their investment was sound by playing some of the best inside linebacker play from a Raven since Ray Lewis.

Smith will become the first off-ball linebacker to make $20 million per season. The deal includes $45 million fully guaranteed and $60 million in total ...

Smith and [Patrick Willis](/nfl/players/430383/patrick-willis/) are the only players to have 150-plus tackles, four-plus sacks and three-plus interceptions in a season. [Shaquille Leonard](/nfl/players/2093164/shaquille-leonard/) as the highest-paid linebacker in the game (in terms of average annual value), making $20 million per season to Leonard's $19.7 million. Watt](/nfl/players/2071793/t-j-watt/) are the only NFL defenders to produce at least 15 sacks and five interceptions over the last five seasons. [Per NFL Network](https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1612878926216368139), Smith and the Ravens agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract extension that will make him the highest-paid linebacker in [NFL](/nfl/) history. Baltimore allowed just 14.7 points per game since Smith arrived, second in the NFL. Signing Smith was a no-brainer for the Ravens, who made an instant impact in the Ravens defense since Baltimore acquired him prior to the trade deadline.

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed in principle with inside linebacker Roquan Smith on a five-year, $100 million contract extension, NFL Network reported ...

Inside linebacker has traditionally been a position the team prioritizes since Ray Lewis' illustrious 17-year career in Baltimore.

Off the field, Smith has already had a significant presence in the community. He challenges people to know it, to understand it, to feel it and to be accountable. There is still the matter of finding a compromise with standout quarterback [Lamar Jackson](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/lamar-jackson-8vrQt8GE4bS4X4Xa/), who is also a pending free agent. Perhaps, that’s what happens when arguably the best player to ever play the position, Ray Lewis, spent all 17 seasons of his Hall of Fame career with the franchise. Three years later, the Ravens made the same bet with Smith and won, although they paid handsomely in the process. With his manning the middle and roaming sideline to sideline, Baltimore is allowing just under 15 points per game. The Ravens wanted to see how Smith fit both on the field and in the locker room, and what kind of impact he’d make. [Marcus Peters](https://theathletic.com/nfl/player/marcus-peters-iIzwpUJiWprj3L82/) from the [Los Angeles Rams](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/rams/) before the 2019 trade deadline. The ball-hawking cornerback helped transform the Ravens’ defense amid a 14-2 regular season. [Baltimore Ravens](https://theathletic.com/nfl/team/ravens/) were willing to bet on themselves in late October when they traded second- and fifth-round draft picks, along with reserve linebacker [A.J. However, this was always more about the organization selling itself to Smith than the 2018 first-round pick proving anything to the Ravens. The Ravens and general manager Eric DeCosta abhor giving up draft picks, particularly for short-term fixes.

The Ravens and Pro Bowl middle linebacker Roquan Smith reached an agreement on a five-year extension on Tuesday, a team source confirmed.

In Baltimore's nine games with Smith, the defense allowed the NFL's second-fewest points (14.7) and held teams to the third-fewest yards (288.8). In the Ravens' first eight games without Smith, the defense ranked 20th in points allowed (22.9) and 24th in yards given up (364.3). A leader and tone-setter, Smith finished as the NFL's third-leading tackler this season (169) for a Baltimore defense that allowed the third-fewest points (18.5), and he was named to the first Pro Bowl of his career.

The Baltimore Ravens have agreed in principle with inside linebacker Roquan Smith on a five-year, $100 million contract extension, NFL Network reported ...

"He wants to do the things that are required to be a great player and to be a great unit and then to impact your team. They rank second in both categories since, according to the team. He's one of the top guys I've ever seen that way, and I think that does always impact everybody as a leader, for sure. "He has been fantastic that way. Pass rusher salaries at outside linebacker are generally higher than traditional inside linebackers. Dating to 2016 with the Denver Broncos, outside linebacker Von Miller established a record for the "linebacker" position with a six-year, $114.5 million deal in 2016.

It's reportedly 'not looking good' for Lamar Jackson to play Sunday. How Smith's deal could impact Jackson. Pundits and players react to the Ravens ...

The Ravens lack of a second-round pick, workable cap space, and long-term deal for Lamar Jackson all seem to be working against their favor here." [Baltimore Beatdown's Dustin Cox:](https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2023/1/10/23548727/ravens-sign-lb-roquan-smith-to-richest-ilb-deal-in-nfl-history-breaking-news-nfl-free-agency) "From the moment he stepped foot on a football field wearing purple and black, Roquan Smith is one of those players that feels like he should have been a Raven his entire career. Smith is an extremely capable coverage linebacker that plays perfectly into where the NFL has headed in response to the RPO and spread-centric pass happy game, as defenses are living in the two-high safety, light box world, the value of "spear" 'spear' defenders, or the spine of a defense, is raised. [Pro Football Focus' Brad Spielberger:](https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-baltimore-ravens-lb-roquan-smith-agree-to-terms-on-a-five-year-100-million-contract) "Putting positional value to one side to evaluate the player in a vacuum, Smith and the Ravens have been a fantastic match since his arrival on trade deadline day. [Baltimore Beatdown's Spencer Schultz:](https://www.baltimorebeatdown.com/2023/1/10/23548727/ravens-sign-lb-roquan-smith-to-richest-ilb-deal-in-nfl-history-breaking-news-nfl-free-agency) "Roquan Smith is the quintessential Baltimore Raven. The impact the 25-year-old Smith has had on the defense since the Ravens acquired him in a midseason trade with the Chicago Bears is undeniable. Smith needed little time in Baltimore to befriend [Patrick] Queen, learn the defensive playbook and earn an affectionate new nickname: 'Uncle Ro.'" [Russell Street Report's Darin McCann:](https://russellstreetreport.com/2023/01/10/knee-jerk-reactions/knee-jerk-reactions-ravens-ink-roquan-smith-to-5-year-deal/) "It's strange for me to say that I'm excited about paying an off-ball linebacker $20 million a year in this day and age, but I am. "In a way, Smith's deal clears the deck and gives the Ravens a bit more flexibility in the negotiations with their star quarterback," The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec wrote. "My understanding, this is something my sources have said over the past 24 hours, is that Lamar Jackson faces an uphill battle to be able to get out on the field in the playoffs against the Cincinnati Bengals. "A team can only use the franchise tag on one player, and with Smith signed, the Ravens will have the tag available to use on Jackson if talks on an extension have not progressed enough to get a deal done before the free-agent market opens. He's built to play the linebacker position," Lewis told The Athletic. "That's the way the linebacker position is played.