Not even a week after having an emotional reaction to teammate Robert Quinn being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles, Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith was himself traded on Monday.
The Bears sent Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for second- and fifth-round picks in 2023, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
A two-time Second Team All-Pro, Smith leads the NFL with 83 tackles this season. He ranks second on the Bears in both tackles for loss (4) and sacks (2.5). The 25-year-old linebacker has had 100 or more tackles in every one of his first four seasons, and only Bobby Wagner of the Rams has more tackles than Smith over the last five seasons.
Between Patrick Queen and Roquan Smith, the Ravens are gonna be able to cover a lot of ground and bring the lumber in the middle of the field.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) October 31, 2022
Smith is also Chicago’s highest-graded pass rusher, according to Pro Football Focus, with a pass-rush win rate of 19 percent.
With the two draft picks from the Ravens, the Bears now have one pick in the first, third, fifth, and seventh rounds, plus two picks in the second and fourth rounds (thanks to the Quinn trade with the Eagles) in the 2023 draft.
Trading Roquan Smith is a significant development for the Bears. This isn't a 32-year-old veteran in his 12th season.
— Adam Jahns (@adamjahns) October 31, 2022
It's a young team captain who was recently leading the league in tackles.
This is a major move for GM Ryan Poles.
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