Bear Digest

Did Bears Trade NFL's Second-Best LB?

An anonymous survey by ESPN of NFL people finds former Bears player ranks No. 2 among those at linebacker, but who's right behind him?
Gene Chamberlain|
Did Bears Trade NFL's Second-Best LB?
Did Bears Trade NFL's Second-Best LB?

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Chicago Bears

The trade of Roquan Smith definitely had an impact on the Bears last year.

It's a deal still being rehashed. Even Bears players haven't forgotten while they look ahead to doing something better than 3-14. 

"We had one of our captains traded midseason, so that kind of took a toll on the defense," defensive tackle Justin Jones said during June minicamp, referring to Smith. "That was a pretty huge blow, and we haven’t won a game since he left."

It's the inconvenient truth of last year's moves. And, actually, they traded away two captains at mid-season because Robert Quinn got dealt, as well. But who's counting?

The Bears let the second-best off-ball linebacker in the game get away. At least they have the third best as a replacement, in the opinion of a group of unnamed scouts, executives, coaches and players interviewed by ESPN.

Trading away Roquan Smith was a mistake in the eyes of some unnamed "league executives, coaches, players and scouts," according to the story for ESPN by Jeremy Fowler.

It's possible at least Matt Eberflus would take issue with that No. 2 ranking, and Bears GM Ryan Poles might not agree with it, either. Most likely they wouldn't care.

The No. 1 off-ball linebacker is San Francisco's Fred Warner, according to this group polled by Fowler. Right after Smith in the ESPN poll was Bears middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. 

The difference cash between No. 2 and No. 3 is Edmunds signed for four years and $72 million while Smith wanted a deal for $100 million over five years and got it.

Pro Football Focus graded Edmunds No. 1 among all linebackers in pass coverage last year and No. 5 overall, while new Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards was graded sixth overall. 

Edwards is actually playing Smith's position in this Bears defensive scheme, the weakside spot.

Smith, who never played middle linebacker in the Matt Eberflus version of this Tampa-2 scheme, was graded 26th overall among linebackers last season by Pro Football Focus. His 70.6 grade was the highest of his five-year career.

So did the Bears make a mistake by trading Smith for a second-round pick, a fifth-rounder and linebacker A.J. Klein, who was cut after a few weeks? You'll have to wait until they see what they have in Edmunds, Edwards and also what they got out of the trade. The second-rounder they chose with the pick from Baltimore was defensive tackle Gervon Dexter Jr. at No. 53. They selected another linebacker with the fifth-round pick at No. 148, Noah Sewell.

ESPN's incognito contingent seems to think Baltimore got a steal, considering Smith was behind only Warner in their ranking.

"An unnamed coordinator called Smith "a stud."

"I can't believe (the Bears) let him out of their building," the same coordinator told Fowler for the article.

Conspicuous by his absence among the top six in the poll is a player Eberflus might tell them belonged on the list. His actual production should rank him first or second, actually. That's Indianapolis Colts linebacker Shaq Leonard, who was seventh on the list.

It's possible the low ranking for Leonard resulted from the two back surgeries he had in five months, the second of which ended his 2022 season in September. Leonard has 12 career interceptions, 17 forced fumbles and seven fumble recoveries, as well as 15 sacks. 

Smith has one forced fumble, one recovery, eight interceptions and 18 1/2 sacks for the same number of seasons as Leonard.

Edmunds, who made two Pro Bowl berths, has five career interceptions, two forced fumbles, and 6 1/2 sacks.

Smith never earned a Pro Bowl berth until last year, which was with the AFC. He spent half the year with the Bears.

ESPN's Linebacker Ranking

1. Fred Warner, 49ers

2. Roquan Smith, Ravens

3. Tremaine Edmunds, Bears

4. Matt Milano, Bills

5. Devin White, Buccaneers

6. Demario Davis, Saints

7. Shaquille Leonard, Colts

8. Nick Bolton, Chiefs

9. C.J. Mosley, Jets

10. Dre Greenlaw, 49ers

Twitter: BearDigest@BearsOnMaven

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Gene Chamberlain
GENE CHAMBERLAIN

Gene Chamberlain has covered the Chicago Bears full time as a beat writer since 1994 and prior to this on a part-time basis for 10 years. He covered the Bears as a beat writer for Suburban Chicago Newspapers, the Daily Southtown, Copley News Service and has been a contributor for the Daily Herald, the Associated Press, Bear Report, CBS Sports.com and The Sporting News. He also has worked a prep sports writer for Tribune Newspapers and Sun-Times newspapers.

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