The NFL trade deadline is here and the Baltimore Ravens made a huge deal trading for Bears linebacker Roquan Smith.
It was clear the Ravens had to make something happen, especially on defense.
Smith is the NFL leader in tackles this year and is one of the best middle linebackers in the sport.
With a record of 5-3, the Ravens know they are good enough to make a run at the AFC title this year.
But, adding impact defenders was something they needed to do.
The Ravens are giving up 364.3 yards, and 22.9 points per game.
With Lamar Jackson leading the offense, they will be competitive on that side of the ball.
Now the hope is that this addition of Smith will bring their defense back to top-10 levels.
Roquan Smith has 32 defensive stops this season – tied for second most in the NFL 💪
Your newest Baltimore Raven 😈 pic.twitter.com/Do9CAkfvhp
— PFF BAL Ravens (@PFF_Ravens) October 31, 2022
So for the Ravens, this trade is an A+.
They got much-needed help on defense by trading a second and fifth-round pick.
Also, Smith is a free agent after the season.
So if the Ravens can’t re-sign him they will most likely get a third-round compensatory pick.
The Bears Side
Chicago received a second and fifth-round pick as previously stated for Smith.
That is good compensation for a player on the final tear of his contract.
If the Bears knew they could not re-sign Smith, then they had to make a trade.
Adding two picks, especially for a rebuilding team is always a good idea.
Now it will be interesting to see how the Bears build their roster around Justin Fields.
At the end of the day, the Bears were not going to re-sign Smith.
So getting compensation for him now was a great move.
The Bears get an A for this trade.
