NEWSLETTER
It was just yesterday that Luis took a deeper dive into Roquan Smith’s breakout performance here in 2020, including juicy statistical nuggets and extrapolations like this:
“Through six games, Smith has 52 tackles (37 solo), 7 tackles-for-loss, 4 pass-breakups, and a forced fumble. Extrapolate those stats over a full 16-game season, and we’re looking at a year with 138 tackles (98 solo), 18 tackles-for-loss, 10 pass-breakups, and 3 forced fumbles. Now, that is what Bears fans were looking forward to seeing this season.”
But after stumbling onto a video breakdown of one particularly excellent play from Sunday’s tilt against the Panthers, I felt it necessary to give Smith some additional love. I won’t spoil too much from the clip you’re about to see. But really take a second and recognize the physical skills and football IQ on display from the Bears’ 2018 first-round pick:
#DaBears Roquan Smith is playing at an unreal, potentially All-Pro level and in this breakdown I talk through how and why.
Turn your 🔊 on and I'll walk you through an early play from the #Panthers game that makes one thing perfectly clear: He's not just any linebacker. pic.twitter.com/eayWHEVHNB
— Robert Schmitz (@robertkschmitz) October 21, 2020
First of all, let’s give a big hat tip to Robert Schmitz of Windy City Gridiron for identifying this play and walking us through it so eloquently. This really is a perfect snapshot of Smith blossoming right in front of our eyes.
As Schmitz identifies in the clip, Smith didn’t just show that he was physically capable of keeping up with D.J. Moore (a battle in its own right), but he also proved wise enough to pick up on the audible, identify the change, and actually commit – on first step – to what he saw. Plenty of players can accomplish either half of this play, but few can combine the football IQ and physical ability. So good on Smith for being special.
It can’t be easy to be a member of this Bears defense, with their current excellent, and historic franchise reputation (especially if you’re a linebacker – and especially-especially if you were a first-rounder), but so far this season, Smith is holding his own as yet another individual bright spot on an absolutely stacked defensive unit.
This is Smith’s third season as a pro, which means he’s already under control for at least one more season in Chicago. But as a first-round draft pick, the Bears also hold his fifth-year option, which must be picked up after this season before a deadline that’s yet to be set. And remember, that option is now fully guaranteed as soon as it is exercised. But given how he’s been playing, there’s no reason to assume they wouldn’t keep him around as long as they can. What an awesome season.
