Exactly one year has passed since the Baltimore Ravens traded for middle linebacker Roquan Smith from the Chicago Bears. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh expressed his satisfaction with Smith’s addition to the team during this time, as reported by RAVENSWIRE’s Kevin Oestreicher.
Harbaugh remarked, “With Ro’, you know from the college draft (that) that’s what they all said about him at Georgia. Then, (when he was with) Chicago, you talked to people who played for the Bears and people in the organization – (like) coaches – and that’s kind of what they said about him there, too.”
He continued, “He’s been a great fit. It’s one of the all-time great trades that we’ve made. Nothing against the Bears. They got a good pick out of it – it’s probably going to be undersold a little bit, but in the end, you’ll see how it pays off for them. Maybe it was a win-win (situation), but it was definitely a win for us,” Harbaugh concluded.
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While the Ravens were pleased with the acquisition of Smith, not everyone shared the sentiment that it was a win-win situation. An anonymous NFL coordinator believed the Ravens had the upper hand in the trade, suggesting that the Bears may have been outmatched. The Bears received a second- and fifth-round draft pick from Baltimore in the exchange.
The anonymous coordinator had high praise for Smith, stating, “I can’t believe (the Bears) let him out of their building. He’s a stud… He’s everything a linebacker’s supposed to be. Doesn’t have a weakness. Intelligence, versatility, consistent tackler, plus athleticism.”
In his second season with the Ravens, Roquan Smith has had a significant impact, recording 82 tackles, which ranks him fourth in the team behind Zaire Franklin (102), Foyesade Oluckun (92), and TJ Edwards (85). The Ravens’ defense has been formidable, allowing an average of 276.5 yards per game, ranking second in the league, just behind the Cleveland Browns, who allow 260 yards per game.
Despite their strong defensive performance, Smith felt that the Ravens’ defense did not excel in their 31-24 win over the Arizona Cardinals in Week 8. However, there is an expectation that John Harbaugh’s Ravens will continue to improve on that side of the ball in their upcoming game against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9.