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Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith opened up about his feelings on being traded from the Chicago Bears, in a recent interview with Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer.
Smith said, “Man, it makes me so happy, just knowing my career is not going down the drain.”
The Ravens, sitting pretty in the AFC with a 7-2 record, have been one of the NFL’s hottest teams, and a big reason part of their success is their rock-solid defense.
Smith made his way to Baltimore when the Bears traded him at the 2022 deadline in exchange for a 2nd and 5th round pick. The Ravens then locked him in with a big 5-year, $100 million contract.
Now, Smith has become one of the defensive leaders for the Ravens, a unit that boasts the best scoring defense in the NFL, allowing a mere 13.8 points per game. Smith’s stat sheet shows he’s making an impact, as he leads the team with 87 total tackles, and has 1.5 sacks and 5 passes defended.
In his full quote, Smith reflected on his trade, saying, “Man, it’s pretty crazy thinking back to when I was initially traded. It was bittersweet for me, just knowing Chicago and rightfully so. But if I would’ve stayed there, honestly, [I] wouldn’t have been able to compete for a title anytime soon.”
“Man, it makes me so happy, just knowing my career is not going down the drain, in the sense of playing somewhere where I’m not truly competing for a title.”
The Ravens have a big game lined up as they take on the 5-3 Browns in Week 10.