Ravens' Roquan Smith enjoying trade away from Bears: 'My career is not going down the drain'
A little over a year ago, Roquan Smith was granted his wish. On Halloween 2022, the linebacker was traded from the Chicago Bears to the Baltimore Ravens and was instantly put in a better situation to reach his ultimate goal: winning a championship.
The Ravens lost in the AFC wild-card round to the Cincinnati Bengals, but they reloaded, got healthy and are currently tied for the second-best record in the NFL at 7-2.
Smith tried to negotiate a new deal in Chicago before requesting a trade, walking it back and then starting the season with the Bears. The contract he sought was given to him in Baltimore with the Ravens signing him to a 5-year, $100 million ($45 million guaranteed) contract.
A lot has changed in a year's time for Smith. He now has financial security and a chance at a championship. It could be worse, as he told Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. He could still be in Chicago.
“And when I just think about it from the perspective of having the opportunity to compete for one, year in and year out, with the talent we have, man, it makes me so happy, just knowing my career is not going down the drain, in the sense of playing somewhere where I’m not truly competing for a title.”
The post-trade records for both teams look like this: Baltimore is 12-6, while Chicago is 2-16, which includes nine straight losses to end their 2022 NFL season after Smith was dealt. The Ravens are heading for their fifth playoff appearance in six seasons. The Bears are on pace to miss for the fourth time in five seasons.
Now Smith is a part of the league's second-ranked defense, with 262.6 average yards allowed per game and an NFL-best 13.8 points allowed per game. His impact has continued in Baltimore as he's fourth in total tackles (87) heading into Week 10.
The Ravens' history of strong defenses is something that has resonated with Smith in his one year in Baltimore.
“Honestly, man, it means the world to me, being a Raven,” Smith says. “And how they came and got me when I was in Chicago and just all the love they showed me throughout my time here, I just only imagine it’s gonna grow even bigger. So when I think about it from that perspective, I pride myself on playing until the whistle, playing every single play as hard as I can. But like just being here, there’s something about that that makes you want to go even harder, with all the legends that came before me, like Ed [Reed], Ray [Lewis], Bart [Scott] …
“When I just think about it from that perspective, man, it makes me proud just knowing that I’m playing behind such a historic tradition. And guys that was well before [me], man. How they set the standard for being a Raven. I believe it’s playing lights out on the defensive side of the ball … not giving the offense time to breathe. Smothering them. And when they come up for a breath, you take them right back down. I feel like that’s what being a Raven is all about.”
Smith has a chance to win in Baltimore, something he thought could happen in Chicago. The Bears were 12-4 in his rookie season in 2018 and made the playoffs twice in his four full seasons there. But while the Ravens enter each season reloaded and built to win now, it hasn't gone that way in his old home. Justin Fields is still developing at quarterback, but they added Montez Sweat to the defense and will have two first-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Smart management can build a perennial contender. Smith didn't see that happening any time soon in Chicago and now he is closer to a championship than ever before.
