The Baltimore Ravens have a knack for finding linebackers. Per usual, the Ravens have found an outstanding defensive anchor. In 2023, Roquan Smith can become the next Raven to win Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY); Smith has been dominant since the day he began wearing purple. On November 1, 2022, the Baltimore Ravens executed a trade with the Chicago Bears, acquiring one of the best linebackers in the league. In exchange for Smith, Chicago received a 2023 second-round and a fifth-round pick. The Ravens also sent veteran linebacker AJ Klein to the Bears.
Attending the University of Georgia, Smith was selected by Chicago with the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, and in five seasons at Soldier Field, Smith was able to earn NFL All-Pro honors three times. With the addition of Smith, Baltimore has been able to fill a once noticeable void in the middle of their defense. In 2023, Roquan Smith has an opportunity to be the next Raven to win DPOY.
Roquan Smith Can Join List of Ravens DPOY Winners
The Baltimore Ravens were able to greatly strengthen their defense in 2022 by acquiring Pro Bowl linebacker Roquan Smith. By no stretch of the imagination, Smith is a stud. If Smith can match the expectations he’s already set for himself with years of high-level football, he may be able to follow the likes of Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, and Terrell Suggs as a Defensive Player of the Year award winner.
Following a long history of elite linebackers in Baltimore, Smith fits right into place. Most notably, Ray Lewis is the greatest player to wear a Ravens uniform. Smith, when asked about Lewis, said “..a legend has played here and set the standard of what it means to play the linebacker position.” In 16 seasons for the Ravens, Lewis went to 12 Pro Bowls, was a seven-time NFL All-Pro, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a two-time Super Bowl champion. A resume such as Lewis’ is hard to come by, as acknowledged by Smith who admits he has “big shoes to fill” in regards to Lewis’ achievements.
“Some huge shoes to fill….”
Roquan Smith on manning the spot once held by HOF LB Ray Lewis
https://t.co/LDoukIk5gp#RavensFlock I @Ravens I @raylewis pic.twitter.com/tpiqYzL4qa
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) August 9, 2023
Smith’s Impact on Ravens Defense
Roquan Smith is undoubtedly a highly impactful player. In 2022, playing eight games for the Chicago Bears and nine games for the Ravens, Smith had to adjust on the fly. Not shockingly, Smith’s statistics were almost identical for both teams. In Chicago, Smith amassed 83 tackles, 2.5 sacks, and two interceptions. In Baltimore, Smith posted 86 tackles, two sacks, and one interception. Smith’s 2022 campaign was enough to earn him All-Pro honors, and his first-ever Pro Bowl selection.
In the first half of the 2022 season, Baltimore’s defense was borderline abysmal. Prior to trading for Smith, the Ravens’ defense was allowing 22.9 points per game, which ranked 20th in the NFL. After trading for Smith, the Ravens only allowed 14.7 points per game, the second-fewest in the NFL. Smith’s impact on the Ravens was undeniable, bringing immense defensive leadership in a short period of time. When asked about the best linebackers in the game, fellow linebacker Devin White of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers said Smith “set the bar pretty high last year” while talking to reporters at training camp, proving to have the respect of his peers.
Roquan Smith was able to make the NFL’s annual top 100 players list for 2023. This year, Smith was ranked the 24th-best player in the league, a very high honor. Although this is Smith’s second season in a row making the top 100, last year Smith ranked as the 84th best player, jumping 60 spots in one season. Smith’s stats were very similar from last season to this season, showing that his impact on the Ravens defense hasn’t gone unnoticed by the league.
Main Photo: Brent Skeen – USA Today Sports
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