The Baltimore Ravens have been one of the most prominent teams connected to rumors about a potential Roquan Smith in recent days. And on the surface, it certainly makes some sense.
Smith officially requested a trade from the Chicago Bears earlier this month after extension negotiations stalled. The Bears still insist that they don’t plan to trade their young linebacker, but that doesn’t mean they won’t bite at the right offer.
The Ravens have an obvious need at the linebacker position and could certainly use a player like Smith on their defense. The 25-year-old is already one of the best young linebackers in the NFL and is still scratching the surface of his potential.
However, for as many positives as there are to a Roquan Smith trade, there are even more potential drawbacks.
Why a Roquan Smith trade would be an unwise investment for the Ravens
The eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, Smith has enjoyed a successful four-year career in Chicago. But much like many of the top players at his position, his performance has been rather volatile.
Smith put together an impressive rookie season, took a step back in 2019, played some of his best football in 2020, and was once again inconsistent in 2021. In fact, his 47.8 Pro Football Focus grade this past season ranked 62nd among 87 qualified linebackers.
Of course, PFF grades aren’t everything, and Smith is still a very good young player, but he’s not Fred Warner. And that right there is the issue that many teams have encountered with big-money deals for off-ball linebackers in recent years.
The linebacker position has experienced a bit of a market shift after numerous failed contracts given out to players who were once perceived to be among the best at their position.
Deion Jones, Myles Jack, Kwon Alexander, Jaylon Smith, Zach Cunningham, and even former Raven C.J. Mosley are all examples of off-ball linebackers who have received big-money contracts over the last few years, only to fall well short of expectations.
Team building is about context. Yes, Roquan Smith is a very good player
— Brad Spielberger, Esq. (@PFF_Brad) August 9, 2022
Very few of the top off-ball LB deals in recent years aged well:
- Jaylon Smith
- Deion Jones
- Myles Jack
- Anthony Barr
- Kwon Alexander
- Zach Cunningham
Etc. etc. etc. The window is a bad fit
Linebacker play around the NFL is so volatile that it’s become an incredibly risky financial investment to pay top dollar to players at the position. That’s especially true for Smith who has already proven to be volatile throughout his career.
For the Ravens, it just wouldn’t be a worthy gamble to trade away assets for Smith and make him one of the highest-paid players on their roster, especially given the impending Lamar Jackson extension.
In reality, Smith just isn’t worth the assets and capital the organization would have to sacrifice.
Roquan Smith is a talented young player who plays a major position of need, but the Ravens should avoid a trade here at all costs. The risk doesn’t match the upside.