Dawn of the Dawg
Fansided

Former Georgia great Roquan Smith finds a shiny new home in the Ravens

By Payton Wilkerson

FOXBOROUGH, MA - OCTOBER 24: Roquan Smith #58 of the Chicago Bears gives a speech in the team huddle prior to an NFL football game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)
FOXBOROUGH, MA - OCTOBER 24: Roquan Smith #58 of the Chicago Bears gives a speech in the team huddle prior to an NFL football game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on October 24, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Former Georgia football star linebacker Roquan Smith was traded to the Baltimore Ravens today from the Chicago Bears. The Bears will receive a second and fifth-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft for this trade. What a move by the Ravens to grab someone like Smith. This pickup is a perfect one for the Ravens.

This trade comes two months after Smith, the 2017 Butkus Award winner in college, requested a trade from the Bears. He stated that Chicago’s new ownership did not value him and was unwilling to give him the contract he felt he deserved. Smith is set to hit free agency at the end of the season.

Some consider this pickup for the Ravens a “Blockbuster trade,” and we agree. We hinted at Baltimore being a potential landing spot when the trade request first happened. Baltimore needed someone like Smith on its defense, and he will be a fantastic addition. With a new team, he could really hit another level because he will finally be on a team that will appreciate him.

Former Georgia football great Roquan Smith begins a new chapter in his NFL career.

The Bears also seem to be entering a rebuild, as they traded defensive end Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles last Wednesday. Upon learning this news, Smith was visibly upset during a press conference. With him losing Quinn, this trade came at the perfect time for Smith. Now he can begin a new chapter with a fresh outlook on his career.

Smith currently leads the NFL with 83 tackles this season, and Bobby Wagner is the only player that has had more tackles than him since 2018.

This trade should be a good situation for Smith. The Ravens are currently 5-3 and in first place in the AFC North division. Their biggest threat to a division title is the defending AFC Champions, the  Cincinnati Bengals, who have won their last two games after getting off to a slow start.

Though they have historically been known for dominant defenses, they have relied on quarterback Lamar Jackson and their offense more over the past few seasons. Adding an elite linebacker like Smith will benefit the Ravens as they look to return to the playoffs.

Must Read. Georgia football: Kirby Smart sends blunt message to the fans. light

The question now is whether or not he will spend the rest of his career with the Ravens. Jackson is also set to hit free agency after both sides failed to reach an agreement on a new contract in the offseason. It will be interesting to see if Baltimore can re-sign both Jackson and Smith.

Home/Georgia Football