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Ravens CB Marlon Humphrey, LB Roquan Smith To Miss Time

September 30th, 2025 at 12:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Ravens exited Sunday’s game with a 1-3 record and a slew of injuries. Baltimore’s efforts to rebound will include missed time from multiple key defenders.

Cornerback Marlon Humphrey exited the Ravens’ loss to the Chiefs with a calf injury. The ailment is not season-ending, but Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports Humphrey is expected to miss multiple weeks. Likewise, linebacker Roquan Smith is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain (per Rapoport). Smith is in store to miss time as well.

These updates come in the wake of head coach John Harbaugh announcing on Monday that defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike will be out for the remainder of the campaign due to a neck injury. Losing the two-time Pro Bowler for the rest of the season will deal a massive blow to the Ravens along the defensive line. Multiple games spent without Humphrey and Smith will also leave the team notably shorthanded in the secondary and at the second level.

Humphrey was limited to 10 games in 2023. Otherwise, the ninth-year veteran has largely avoided major injuries over the course of his career. Humphrey witnessed a downturn in production before setting new career highs in interceptions (six) and pass breakups (15) in 2024. Those figures helped him earn a fourth Pro Bowl invite and a spot on the first All-Pro team for the second time in his career.

The Ravens have 2024 first-rounder Nate Wiggins in place as a starter, although he too went down with an injury on Sunday. Baltimore signed Jaire Alexander in free agency after his release from the Packers; the oft-injured Pro Bowler has only played once this season, though, while attempting to ramp up after significant missed time in training camp. Fellow veteran Chidobe Awuzie could see an uptick in usage with Humphrey sidelined, and former fourth-round pick T.J. Tampa is another candidate for an increased workload.

Smith formed a strong partnership alongside Patrick Queen upon arriving via trade in 2022. The former Bears first-rounder has remained a foundational member of the team’s defense since Queen’s free agent departure in 2024. Smith has amassed 432 tackles and five sacks across 45 games with the Ravens, and while he has drawn criticism for his struggles in coverage the 28-year-old’s play against the run will be missed during his absence.

Baltimore has made recent draft investments at the linebacker spot in the form of Trenton Simpson (third round, 2023) and Teddye Buchanan (fourth round, 2025). The latter has handled a 69% defensive snap share early in his rookie campaign, and that will no doubt rise provided Smith remains sidelined for a notable period. Simpson is a likely candidate to take on a full-time starting role alongside Buchanan for the time being.

The Ravens have two games remaining until their bye. Given the timeline for Humphrey and Smith, both could be unavailable until after that point. As Baltimore looks to dig out of an early hole, the team will be forced to do so with a depleted unit on defense.

NFL Restructures: Simmons, Johnson, CJGJ, Ward, Smith

September 18th, 2025 at 9:57pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Titans recently gave Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jeffery Simmons a $633K raise to rectify a miscalculation of his fifth-year option, per Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio.

The Titans drafted Simmons with the 19th overall pick in the 2019 draft, and after 8.5 sacks and his first Pro Bowl in 2021, the team knew they had a long-term anchor for their defensive line. Tennessee picked up Simmons’ fifth-year option during the 2022 offseason and signed him to a $94MM extension the following year. That extension was meant to include the fifth-year option, but the deal undercounted his 2023 salary by one game, resulting in a $633K shortage.

Simmons’ agent discovered the error, and the Titans agreed to rectify the mistake with a signing bonus, according to Florio. The adjusted contract is not considered an extension.

A few other players from the 2019 draft class who signed extensions off their fifth-year options had a similar miscalculation in their deal. As a result, Simmons’ new deal could set a precedent around the league with other players seeking similar retroactive payments.

  • The Bears restructured the contract of cornerback Jaylon Johnson to create $8MM of cap space, per ESPN’s Field Yates. $12MM of his 2025 salary was converted to a signing bonus and prorated across the three remaining years of the deal. Chicago made the move before Johnson went down with a groin injury that could end his season.
  • The Texans completed a maximum restructure of safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson‘s deal to reduce his cap hit to $3.1MM, according to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. His $7.75MM salary was reduced to the veteran minimum with the remaining $6.58MM converted into a signing bonus and prorated across the remainder of the contract, which includes void years from 2027 to 2030.
  • The Browns also did a maximum restructure with cornerback Denzel Ward‘s contract, per ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi. His salary was also reduced to the veteran minimum with $12.22MM converted into a signing bonus. As a result, his 2025 cap hit dropped by $9.78MM to $14.78MM, per OverTheCap.
  • In another AFC North restructure, the Ravens converted $12MM of linebacker Roquan Smith‘s 2025 salary that was prorated across the three remaining years of his deal. The move cleared $8MM in cap space, according to Russell Street Report’s Brian McFarland.

Largest 2025 Cap Hits: Defense

July 4th, 2025 at 9:00pm CST by Adam La Rose

The 2025 offseason has been defined in no small part by extensions amongst the league’s top edge rushers. A number of high-profile situations on that front remain unresolved at this point, which will make for interesting storylines over the coming weeks. Still, pass rushers once again account for some of the top cap charges around the NFL.

Just like on offense, here is a breakdown of the top 25 defensive cap hits in 2025:

  1. Maxx Crosby, DE (Raiders): $38.15MM
  2. T.J. Watt, OLB (Steelers): $30.42MM
  3. DeForest Buckner, DT (Colts): $26.6MM
  4. Daron Payne, DT (Commanders): $26.17MM
  5. Rashan Gary, OLB (Packers): $25.77MM
  6. Montez Sweat, DE (Bears): $25.09MM
  7. Denzel Ward, CB (Browns): $24.56MM
  8. Micah Parsons, DE (Cowboys): $24.01MM
  9. Derwin James, S (Chargers): $23.86MM
  10. Roquan Smith, LB (Ravens): $23.72MM
  11. Dexter Lawrence, DT (Giants): $23.64MM
  12. Chris Jones, DT (Chiefs): $23.6MM
  13. Jeffery Simmons, DT (Titans): $22.7MM
  14. L’Jarius Sneed, CB (Titans): $22.58MM
  15. Vita Vea, DT (Buccaneers): $22.47MM
  16. Minkah Fitzpatrick, S (Dolphins): $22.36MM
  17. Jonathan Greenard, DE (Vikings): $22.3MM
  18. Jessie Bates, S (Falcons): $22.25MM
  19. Myles Garrett, DE (Browns): $21.92MM)
  20. Quinnen Williams, DT (Jets): $21.59MM
  21. Jaylon Johnson, CB (Bears): $21MM
  22. Nick Bosa, DE (49ers): $20.43MM
  23. Kenny Clark, DT (Packers): $20.37MM
  24. Danielle Hunter, DE (Texans): $20.2MM
  25. Zach Allen, DE (Broncos): $19.8MM

Crosby briefly held the title of the league’s highest-paid pass rusher when his latest Raiders extension was signed. That $35.5MM-per-year pact was quickly overtaken in value, but it put to rest speculation about a potential trade. Now fully healthy, Crosby’s level of play in 2025 will be critical in determining Vegas’ success.

Garrett currently leads the way in terms of AAV for edge rushers (and, in turn, all defensive players). He landed $40MM in annual compensation from the Browns in a deal which ended his long-running trade request. The four-time All-Pro sought a change of scenery to a Super Bowl contender but then altered his stance following communication with Cleveland’s front office. Garrett is now on the books through 2030.

Other notable pass rushers face an uncertain future beyond the coming campaign, by contrast. That includes Watt, who is not close to reaching an agreement on a third Steelers contract. The former Defensive Player of the Year is reported to be eyeing a pact which will again move him to the top of the pecking order for pass rushers. He thus finds himself in a similar situation to fellow 30-year-old All-Pro Trey Hendrickson with the Bengals.

While Hendrickson is believed to be aiming for a new deal similar in average annual value to those like Bosa and Hunter’s, Parsons could leapfrog Watt atop the pecking order by the time the season begins. Little (if any) progress has been made since Parsons and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reached a handshake agreement on the framework of a deal. Time remains for a pact to be finalized before training camp; failing that, the possibility of a hold-in will increase.

Recent years have seen a major spike in the valuation of interior defensive linemen capable of producing against the pass. It comes as no surprise, then, to see a multitude of D-tackles on the list. Buckner and Chris Jones are among the veterans with the longest track record of success in terms of sacks and pressures (along with disruptive play against the run, of course). Payne, Lawrence, Simmons and Williams were among the players who helped moved the position’s market upward with similar second contracts during the 2023 offseason.

Gary, Sweat and Greenard will again be counted on to lead the way in terms of pass rush production for their respective NFC North teams. Green Bay, Chicago and Minnesota each have upside elsewhere on the depth chart, but expectations will remain high for those three based on their lucrative deals. The highly competitive division will no doubt come down to head-to-head games, and they will be influenced in large part by the performances of each defense.

The cornerback market reached $30MM per year this offseason thanks to Derek Stingley Jr.‘s Texans extension. Given the term remaining on his rookie pact, though, his cap charge for this season checks in at a much lower rate than that of teammates like Hunter or other top CBs. Ward and Jaylon Jones are on the books through 2027, and the same is true of Sneed. The high-priced Tennessee trade acquisition did not enjoy a healthy debut season with his new team in 2024, but he appears to be set for full participation in training camp.

Safety and linebacker are among the positions which have witnessed slower growth than others recently. Still, a few top performers are attached to deals landing them on this list. Smith has been a first-team All-Pro performer during his tenure with the Ravens; he will be expected to remain one in 2025 and beyond. James and Bates will likewise be counted on as key playmakers in Los Angeles and Atlanta. Fitzpatrick will, interestingly, return to his original team after being part of the blockbuster Steelers-Dolphins trade from earlier this week.

Vea helped the Buccaneers rank fourth against the run last season while Clark and the Packers finished seventh in that regard. Both veterans have multiple years remaining on their deals, although in both cases the final season does not include guaranteed money. Vea and/or Clark could thus find themselves discussing an extension next offseason.

Allen is among the players listed who could have a new deal in hand before Week 1. The former Cardinal is coming off a career-best 8.5 sacks from the 2024 season. To no surprise, then, Allen is high on Denver’s list of extension priorities, and it will be interesting to see if the pending 2026 free agent works out a new pact prior to the start of the campaign.

Contract Details: Ravens, 49ers, Sutton, Bates

September 4th, 2024 at 9:32pm CST by Ben Levine

The Ravens reworked a handful of contracts this week. Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the team restructured linebacker Roquan Smith‘s contract. ESPN’s Field Yates adds that defensive tackle Nnamdi Madubuike and kicker Justin Tucker also reworked their pacts.

Smith’s restructuring helped create $4.875MM in cap space, per Rapoport. Smith is playing on the second year of a five-year, $100MM extension he signed with the Ravens in 2023. In total, the three recent contract restructurings will total $9.3MM in savings, per Yates.

GM Eric DeCosta recently hinted that the team may be over the cap after adding a long list of practice squad players (via Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic). The executive was confident the organization would quickly get cap compliant, and it sounds like the front office also managed to squeeze out some extra financial wiggle room heading into the regular season.

More cap restructurings from around the NFL…

  • Deebo Samuel provided the 49ers with some cap space the other day, with the wideout’s restructuring providing the team with a whopping $16.4MM in cap space (via Yates). Samuel is still playing on the three-year, $73.5MM extension he inked with San Francisco in 2022. Defensive tackle Maliek Collins also recently reworked his contract, saving the 49ers $5.43MM against the cap, per Yates. The team specifically converted $6.79MM of Collins’ upcoming salary into a signing bonus, adding three void years in the process (per Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac).
  • The Broncos continue to commit to wideout Courtland Sutton, at least for the entirety of the 2024 campaign. The team restructured the receiver’s contract, helping open $9.5MM in cap space, per Yates. Specifically, the team converted $11.875MM of Sutton’s $13MM salary into a bonus, per Mike Klis of 9News in Denver. The reduced financial flexibility reduces the chances of a Sutton trade during the upcoming season.
  • The Falcons opened up about $7.5MM in cap space by reworking Jessie Bates‘ contract, per Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 in Houston. The team converted $11.25MM of his 2024 base salary into a signing bonus, increasing his 2025 ($22.25MM) and 2026 ($22.27MM) cap hits in the process.
  • The Panthers reworked a pair of contracts, according to Yates. Both offensive tackle Taylor Moton and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle helped provide the Panthers with some breathing room, as the duo’s restructurings created $10.7MM in cap room.
  • The Saints opened $3.5MM in cap space by reworking Juwan Johnson‘s deal, per Yates. The tight end inked a two-year extension with the team ahead of the 2023 campaign, with $11.5MM of his $12MM earnings guaranteed.

Ravens Notes: Jackson, Bateman, OL, Tampa

July 22nd, 2024 at 8:55pm CST by Ben Levine

Before veteran Eddie Jackson landed in Baltimore, the safety got a ringing endorsement from a Ravens defender. Linebacker Roquan Smith told reporters that he put in a good word to management about Jackson.

“Yes, I always tell the truth,” Smith said (via the team’s website). “I have great respect for Eddie [Jackson] and [I’ve] known Eddie since I came into the league. Like I said earlier, I think he’s a great asset for our team. [He’s] obviously been making plays in this league for a very long time, and with the pieces that we have here, and then with his talent, and having him in his role, I think it will go well for us.”

Jackson previously spent his entire seven-year career with the Bears, and he played more than four of those seasons alongside Smith. After starting all 100 of his appearances in Chicago, Jackson won’t be nearly as relied upon in Baltimore. The team is mostly looking for a replacement for Geno Stone, who often played with Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton in three-safety looks.

Smith also touched on the major shakeup on the sidelines. Inside linebackers coach Zach Orr replaced Mike Macdonald as Baltimore’s defensive coordinator, and the star pass-rusher is optimistic that the new defensive play-caller will seamlessly replace the former defensive play-caller.

“I think are very similar that’s here, and I have a great deal of respect for Zach [Orr and] his mindset,” Smith said. “He’s been out there on the field, and believe it or not, obviously him and Mike [Macdonald] are two totally different people, and they’re unique in their own way, but through the headset, they actually sound the same. Every voice I’ve heard through a headset all sounds the same. I’m like, ‘Is that Mike or something?’ I told ‘Z.O.’ one day during OTAs, so it’s pretty funny. I’m excited for ‘Z.O.,’ for him to showcase what he’s able to do with the pieces that we have here and showcase it to the world. We’ve all been doubted before, [how] things may not be as good as this, that or the third, but the game gives us the opportunity to prove that. I have a great deal of respect for ‘Z.O.,’ and that he’ll prove it week-in and week-out, and it’s going to start here in training camp, preparing for the year.”

More notes out of Baltimore…

Ravens LB Patrick Queen On Trade Block?

April 12th, 2023 at 6:03pm CST by Ben Levine

After inking Roquan Smith to a record-breaking contract, the Ravens are reportedly shopping one of their other linebackers. According to Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post, Ravens linebackers Patrick Queen is “prime trade fodder” heading into the draft.

Queen was a first-round pick by Baltimore in 2020, and the LSU product has certainly backed up his draft stock through his first three seasons in the NFL. He collected 106 tackles and three sacks as a rookie, earning him PFWA All-Rookie Team honors. After seeing his numbers drop a bit in 2021, Queen had a career year this past season, finishing with 117 tackles and five sacks. He ultimately finished the year ranked 31st among 81 qualifying linebackers, per Pro Football Focus, with the site giving him position-leading grades for his pass-rushing ability.

After trading for Smith last season, the Ravens gave him a five-year, $100MM contract ($45MM guaranteed) in January. That contract made Smith the highest-paid off-ball LB in the NFL, and it will predictably influence the team’s decision making elsewhere on the roster. With so much money committed to Smith (and with the front office eyeing a fifth-year option decision on Queen this offseason), it makes sense that they’d look to trade off one of their linebackers.

The Ravens are only armed with five selections heading into this year’s draft, so a Queen trade could help them add to their arsenal. As La Canfora notes, the Ravens need a cornerback, and while there should be some highly graded players available when they pick at No. 22, one anonymous executive believes the front office could trade back and still land a top-end player at the position.

“I think six [corners] go in the first round,” the executive told La Canfora, “and [the Ravens are] probably thinking they can get one they like later on — maybe even the second round — and add picks.”

Ravens, Roquan Smith Agree On Extension

January 10th, 2023 at 12:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Trade Deadline Notes: Burns, R. Smith, 49ers

November 6th, 2022 at 12:33pm CST by Rory Parks

The trade deadline passed on Tuesday, but reports of near-deals and trade talks featuring high-profile players continue to trickle in. Though the NFL trade deadline may never produce the anticipation that the MLB deadline seems to generate, NFL front offices are increasingly amenable to making deals, and this year’s deadline day brought with it 10 trades and 12 players changing teams, both league records. As Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets, that type of activity is wildly popular among fans and therefore good for business, and Yates’ ESPN colleague, Adam Schefter, says multiple clubs have reached out to the league office this week to discuss the possibility of moving future deadlines to later dates.

In 2012, the league pushed the deadline back two weeks, from the Tuesday after Week 6 to the Tuesday after Week 8. Another move could see the deadline moved to sometime after Week 10 or Week 12, which would presumably produce even more trades. The idea is that, the later the deadline, the more clarity teams will have with respect to their status as a playoff contender, which will lead to more trade activity. Schefter hears that the issue will be raised at the general manager committee meetings later this month.

Now for more fallout and other notes from this year’s deadline extravaganza:

  • Teams were perhaps most interested in improving their receiving talent at the deadline, as players like Chase Claypool, Calvin Ridley, Kadarius Toney, and T.J. Hockenson changed hands on or before deadline day, and big names like Brandin Cooks, Jerry Jeudy, DeAndre Hopkins, and D.J. Moore generated conversations as well. According to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports, the aggression on that front was inspired at least in part by a weak 2023 class of free agent receivers headlined by the likes of Jakobi Meyers, Deonte Harty, Nelson Agholor, Allen Lazard, Mecole Hardman, and JuJu Smith-Schuster. On a related note, Joel Corry of CBS Sports believes that, if the Saints choose to move on from Michael Thomas this offseason, they may find a number of suitors, despite Thomas’ recent injury woes (Twitter link).
  • It was indeed the Rams who were willing to trade two first-round picks to the Panthers in exchange for DE Brian Burns, as Jones writes in a separate piece. Confirming prior reports, Jones says Los Angeles offered its 2024 and 2025 first-round selections — the team is without a 2023 first-round pick to due to last year’s Matthew Stafford trade — and he adds that the club also included a 2023 second-round choice in its final proposal. Carolina gave serious consideration to the offer, but it ultimately elected to hold onto Burns, which will increase the player’s leverage in offseason extension talks. Per Jones, Burns is likely to land a deal that far exceeds the $110MM pact that the Dolphins recently authorized for their own deadline acquisition, Bradley Chubb.
  • Speaking of the Panthers, we learned earlier today that the club also turned down a first-round pick for Moore. The Panthers’ reticence to trade its young talent (aside from Christian McCaffrey, of course) was on full display at the deadline, and while the decisions to retain Moore and Burns were certainly defensible, every executive with whom Jason La Canfora of the Washington Post spoke was shocked that the club did not pull the trigger on Burns. “I can’t believe they turned [the Rams’ offer] down. Now they almost have to pay him whatever he wants because everyone knows they turned down two [first-round picks] for him,” one GM said. Apparently, cornerback Donte Jackson also drew some trade interest, though another GM said the Panthers were asking too much for him as well.
  • The 49ers‘ acquisition of McCaffrey will necessitate some “bean-counting creativity” from GM John Lynch this offseason, as Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle opines. The team’s impending cap crunch, intensified by McCaffrey’s $12MM cap hit for 2023, will make it more difficult for the club to retain QB Jimmy Garoppolo — though that may not have been in the cards anyway — and RT Mike McGlinchey.
  • Bears head coach Matt Eberflus acknowledged that one of the reasons his team traded linebacker Roquan Smith is because of Smith’s lack of ball production relative to his peers, particularly the peers who have contracts that Smith wants to top, as Kevin Fishbain of The Athletic writes (subscription required). Compared to fellow 2018 draftee and three-time First Team All-Pro Shaquille Leonard, for instance, Smith has five fewer interceptions (seven), 16 fewer forced fumbles (one), and six fewer fumble recoveries (one) over the course of his career.
  • The Lions‘ trade of Hockenson will naturally create more playing time for second-year pro Brock Wright — who is expected to step into the starting TE role — and fifth-round rookie James Mitchell, as Tim Twentyman of the team’s official website notes. Mitchell, who is still strengthening and rehabbing the torn ACL he suffered as a collegian at Virginia Tech in 2021, has played just 21 offensive snaps this season but offers big-play upside at the tight end position.

Bears GM Ryan Poles Discusses Roquan Smith Trade

November 1st, 2022 at 9:12pm CST by Ben Levine

The Bears made another significant move yesterday, trading star linebacker Roquan Smith to the Ravens. At only 25-years-old and with a pair of All-Pro nods on his resume, Smith didn’t necessarily have to be a casualty of Chicago’s pseudo-rebuild. However, GM Ryan Poles made it clear that Smith’s contract demands meant he probably wasn’t going to be sticking around Chicago long-term.

[RELATED: Ravens To Acquire Roquan Smith From Bears]

“There’s part of me that’s bummed because this was a guy that I thought was going to be here for a long time,” Poles said (via ESPN’s Courtney Cronin). “I felt like we put a lot of effort forward to get that done, and we came up short. We couldn’t find common ground. And that’s just a part of this business, which I think we all understand.”

According to Poles, the Bears presented Smith with their final extension offer before the season. While the organization held out hope that the linebacker would reconsider, it became increasingly clear that the Bears would struggle to meet Smith’s asking price if they continued to negotiate this upcoming offseason. So, instead of seeing how things unfolded following the 2022 campaign, the team decided to be proactive and trade the linebacker now.

“The reality of it is that you have to ask yourself a question: Are we ever going to find that middle ground? And from our previous conversations, you gather that information and it felt like it was highly unlikely,” Poles said. “So then are you able to then take the opportunity to enhance your roster now? Or are you OK with the chance that he walks away and we can’t use some of that to enhance our roster. And that’s what it came down to, and I felt like we had to move forward at that time.”

As our own Sam Robinson noted yesterday, the Bears would have been hard pressed to retain Smith via the franchise tag since the player would have been attached to an edge rusher-level value. Chicago could have also played out Smith’s contract year and counted on the compensatory formula, but the two-pick return from Baltimore obviously trumps that value.

Today’s move saw Chicago add a second- and fifth-round pick, with A.J. Klein added to the deal as a throw-in. The trade came days after the Bears dealt veteran defender Robert Quinn to the Eagles.

NFC North Rumors: Smith, Corbett, Peterson, Udoh

October 31st, 2022 at 11:06pm CST by Ely Allen

One of the biggest headlines of the day was when Baltimore acquired Bears linebacker Roquan Smith in exchange for a second- and fifth-round pick. Lots led to this deal being made, but no one can say the Bears didn’t try to hold on to Smith.

General manager Ryan Poles claimed that the Bears made a contract offer to Smith that contained a “record-setting” piece, according to Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune. Smith had been representing himself and negotiations have reportedly gone nowhere, according to Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer. Not only were the negotiations at an impasse but Adam Jahns of The Athletic tells us they were also apparently tenuous enough to change the team’s perception of Smith.

Regardless, negotiations to extend Smith will now fall on the Ravens’ shoulders, and, according to Biggs, the move shows that pretty much anyone on the Bears’ roster is fair game to be traded before tomorrow’s deadline.

Here are a few more rumors from around the NFC North, all coming out of the Twin Cities of Minnesota:

  • As the trade deadline approaches, an ideal target for the Vikings is Panthers offensive guard Austin Corbett, according to Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News in Minnesota. Minnesota was in on Corbett during his free agency this offseason but lost out to Carolina, who signed him to a three-year, $26.25MM deal. The Vikings would love to add Corbett to anchor an offensive line with several young, impressive players, but it appears that Carolina, justifiably, views him as a core player to build around for the future.
  • After throwing some shots at Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray during his in-game celebrations, Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson expressed some lingering discontentment with his former franchise, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Peterson claimed that someone in the organization used to print out emails from a fan about “how he couldn’t tackle and was washed up” and would leave the letters at his locker in Arizona. Peterson’s jabs make a little more sense with some context about his feelings towards the organization near the end of his tenure.
  • Vikings backup offensive lineman Oli Udoh was arrested last weekend after allegedly harassing a female patron then scuffling with club security at Club e11even in Miami, according to John Shipley of the Pioneer Press. Udoh and his attorney “dispute the reported facts of the incident,” according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN, and head coach Kevin O’Connell told the media that he expects a positive outcome. He participated as usual in practice this week. Udoh was a full-time starter for the Vikings last year but has functioned in a backup capacity this season with rookie second-round pick Ed Ingram taking over as the team’s starting right guard.
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