With the Lamar Jackson situation headed toward a franchise tag, the Ravens took care of a major piece of business Tuesday. They are signing Roquan Smith to a landmark extension.
Smith and the Ravens are in agreement on a five-year, $100MM deal, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter). This raises the bar for off-ball linebackers — something Smith sought during his talks with the Bears this past offseason. Smith will see $45MM guaranteed at signing and $60MM guaranteed in total. A $22.5MM signing bonus represents part of Smith’s guarantees, Aaron Wilson of KPRC tweets.
The self-represented linebacker could not come to terms with the Bears on a long-term deal ahead of the season, and the rebuilding team sent him to the Ravens for second- and fifth-round picks at the deadline. By trading for a linebacker in a contract year, the Ravens placed some pressure on themselves to come to an agreement before the legal tampering period began. The team beat that deadline by more than two months and will hang onto a player who has provided a major boost for a team that has been without Jackson for several weeks.
At the time the Ravens traded for Smith, their defense was giving up 22.9 points per game. Since the acquisition ahead of Week 9, Rapoport notes Baltimore is surrendering just 14.7 per game. The latter total is second in the NFL. For a team that has both been without Jackson and its top two wide receivers during a chunk of that stretch, Smith has provided vital assistance. On a deal that also resets the non-rush linebacker market for total and full guarantees, the 25-year-old standout is now signed through the 2027 season.
Pro Football Focus slots Smith and 2020 first-round pick Patrick Queen as top-30 off-ball linebackers this season, which doubles as the former’s first Pro Bowl campaign. The ex-Georgia standout has tallied a career-high 169 tackles, despite a midseason scheme change, and racked up 11 tackles for loss. From 2020-21, only T.J. Watt totaled more TFLs than Smith, who was believed to be seeking a deal that topped Shaquille Leonard‘s during his Bears negotiations.
It took a few additional months (and a team change) for such a contract to come together, but the ILB market now has a $20MM-per-year player. This is the eighth NFL position to see a player cross the $20MM AAV barrier (quarterback, wide receiver, tackle, guard, edge rusher, defensive tackle, cornerback). The off-ball ‘backer market began ballooning to this place because of failed Ravens negotiations with C.J. Mosley back in 2019. Mosley ended up inking a then-record-smashing $17MM-per-year deal with the Jets, and Bobby Wagner (on his third Seahawks contract), Fred Warner and Leonard topped that in the ensuing years. Leonard’s deal headlined the position’s market for over a year, and while the Colts ‘backer has a more decorated resume than Smith, the latter had unique leverage — bolstered by Baltimore’s trade and situation with Jackson.
With teams only allowed the use of one franchise tag per offseason, Jackson has always been expected to receive it. The former MVP turned down multiple extension offers from the Ravens over the past two years, with the Browns’ Deshaun Watson contract moving the goal posts for these talks. The Ravens may well need the exclusive tag — which prevents other teams from negotiating with Jackson — and that is expected to come in north of $45MM. That figure going on the Ravens’ cap sheet in March would significantly impact the team’s free agency outlook, adding to the importance of having Smith locked down early.
The Bears faced a dilemma with Smith, as all linebacker positions fall under one franchise tag price. With OLBs driving up the price, a Smith tag would have cost the Bears around $21MM. The $20MM-per-year number emerged during Smith’s contentious talks with the Bears, and while it seemed a bit high at the time, Chicago committing to a rebuild and dealing the Ryan Pace-era draftee to a team with a unique franchise tag situation on the horizon made it possible. The Ravens can keep Queen on a rookie deal through 2024, via the fifth-year option, with Tuesday’s agreement locking in the promising duo for years to come.
Just trade Jackson and extend Smith, Queen and Dobbins
Prioritizing Queen and Dobbins would be wild.
Chuck clark and Powers might be extension worthy
Bears messed up.
The Bears have a lot more glaring needs than off the ball LB who wanted to reset the market.
This point felt more meaningful before the Bears turned around and dealt an even higher pick for an inconsistent receiver who’s only one year from free agency.
Yeah but Claypool will only cost 1.5 million next year instead of 20. savings- 18.5 million and 4 less years. But yeah, I wouldn’t of traded the Bears own pick for Claypool. I would of said take the 2nd pick or leave it but you can’t really evaluate any skill player on the Bears without an OL. They should be way better there. Plus Poles can get an extra 10 million in Cap space just by cutting Muhammed, Semian and Patrick which are no brainer’s to me.
The Bears were right to trade Smith if they were going to let him walk, because they’re definitely going to spend too much in free agency to get any comp picks for a departing free agent. The Claypool trade is still a head scratcher to me, even if it’s a very weak wide receiver free agent class.
Bears have to spend money in Free Agency due to the cap floor. But, to your point, they will have to pay extra to get certain players. But that’s what most teams do.
I’m sure they’ll blow way past the floor. They set themselves up well to spend this offseason.
There bears got the number one pick in part because they gutted their defense
If spent wisely, The Bears could probably get 3 or 4 good defensive starters for the 20 million they saved, Plus the 10 million I suggested by cutting dead weight. That’s not even counting the 100 million they already have. 2 things they must have this off season are a LT and a WR1. If they have to spend in FA just to get those 2 guys will probably cost 40 million so getting more draft picks for the #1 pick is a must. Interesting trade idea would be getting Quentin Nelson back in a trade for the #1 pick from the Colts, plus assets. That would set the Bears up at G with Whitehair and Nelson with Jenkins in reserve. I don’t know if you can count on Jenkins to be a starter as he’s injured all the time. Then they move Jones to RT, get a LT, then all you need is a C. With their draft capital that should be no big deal. I heard the Colts might want to trade Nelson and or Leonard. Awaiting further developments.
An excellent guard on a rookie contract would not be good value for the number one overall pick, let alone the highest paid guard of all time.
Mike’s been drinking this morning
Thought Nelson signed a 4/$80M contract?
He is.
Obviously Poles would want the Colts to spend down on some of that but if healthy Nelson is a All Pro G. I’m guessing the article I read assumes the Colts are trying to get some cap space.
Nelson’s contract is surprisingly tradeable (only a $6 million dead cap hit if traded post-June 1st), but the point still stands that trading the number one overall pick for a package built around a guard would be ridiculous.
Don’t be droll. The package is built around the #4 pick and all the other picks they’ll get. If the Colts want to get rid of some cap he’d be more of a toss in to a team with 100 million in cap space that can afford to take the money chance. That contract for a G was ridiculous even for one as good as Nelson.
I doubt Indy would do that. They already have to fix their line this offseason.
The Colts also aren’t in dire straits cap-wise. They’ve got over $17 million free already, and can save another $27 million by cutting Matt Ryan and Grover Stewart. And one would assume their next QB plan will involve a rookie contract.
No WR1s are available in free agency. Jakobi Meyers is probably the best available and I doubt he is leaving the Patriots. Might be able to trade for Cooks, otherwise a trade for a WR1 if available is going to cost a ton in picks and cap space. I would expect a small upgrade to WRs via FA, a mid-round draft pick addition, and working to get Claypool more involved. Whitehair is gone as a FA. Nelson is expensive and didn’t play as well this year, though he would still be a tremendous upgrade. This offseason should be a huge leap forward but contention for a long playoff run is probably 2 years away at best. A lot will depend on if Fields is still upright by then.
Uhh Whitehair is signed for next year at 14 million at least . He’s not a FA and nobody is gonna want him at that price either.
In fact now that I look he’s signed through 2024.
To all those who say Lamar should’ve been paid – he will, under the franchise tag. And if they don’t agree to a fully guaranteed deal after next year, then hey, maybe he walks. Ravens will be fine either way.
Hey Lamar, you see what your no agent brethren did there? He took a deal with only 60% guaranteed. Get off the 100% guarantee mantra, please. Watson deal is an outlier.
Smith reset the market for linebackers with $60 million in guarantees. Seven different QBs have gotten contracts with at least $160 million guarantees. They’re not really similar situations.
Also, one person can’t be brethren. One person would be a brother.
Liked “brethren” and “brother” clarification. LOL
Oh, Lamar can definitely learn from this. Agree to disagree here.
I get what you want him to learn here, but Smith held out for what he wanted and got traded to a team that gave it to him. I’m not sure why that wouldn’t be Jackson’s takeaway.
QBs and off ball linebackers aren’t even close to the same pay scale or situation. Teams can compete with a middling OLB, very hard to with a middling QB.
Smith got what he wanted so you can’t blame him. It would of made no sense for the Bears to give him that money as it wouldn’t have helped the defense as much as everyone thinks. he’s more valuable to a team that already has a good defense rather than a team trying to get there. Eberflus switching to 4-3 hurt Smith as he was really drafted as a 3-4 LB. I’m happy for him but he wasn’t the answer for the Bears as their defense was bad with him, And Worse without him but that money will be much better spent on other things. Hey good luck with that but decent move by both teams.
GREAT JOB EDC!