Chicago Bears’ All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith has requested a trade. The Denver Broncos should acquire his services for 2022 and beyond.
There was some significant news in the NFL landscape today as Chicago Bears’ All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith formally requested a trade. The Denver Broncos should do whatever they can to acquire his services.
Smith is one of the five best linebackers in football and would make most teams much better.
The Denver Broncos are clearly in a win-now mode with Russell Wilson, so adding someone of Smith’s caliber is a no-brainer in theory.
However, Smith is a sensational player and it is going to take quite a bit to acquire him if he is traded. The Broncos do not have a ton of draft capital next year because of their Russell Wilson trade.
However, there are reasons why they should try and make this deal.
Three reasons Denver Broncos should trade for Roquan Smith: The Broncos might have what the Bears want
Draft picks are both incredibly valuable and not in today’s NFL. Teams that are usually good at drafting are able to use them well, while teams that historically are not good during the draft might be more willing to part with them.
The other factor here is that draft picks are unknown–it usually takes years to figure out if a player is good enough, so teams often opt for trading their draft picks to get impact players.
However, since the Broncos do not have a ton of draft capital to give, perhaps the Bears would be willing to listen to a deal that includes more players.
The Denver Broncos have a surplus along their offensive line, and the Bears’ offensive line needs help, badly.
I’m not entirely sure who the Bears would ask for, but players like Netane Muti, Dalton Risner, Lloyd Cushenberry, and Graham Glasgow could all potentially be moved to Chicago in a deal.
One of the single best things a team can do for their young quarterback is to give them a stellar offensive line.
If the Bears want Justin Fields to develop, they need to put a better offensive line in front of him. What they have now is nothing short of pathetic, but the Broncos have some players who could help that.
Three reasons Denver Broncos should trade for Roquan Smith: Broncos ILB group is weakest position group on the team
I’m not saying that the Denver Broncos inside linebacking group is bad–both Josey Jewell and Jonas Griffith are talented, but overall, it’s by far the weakest position group on the roster, especially on defense.
If the Broncos want to continue to boast an elite defense, upgrading what they have at ILB might be the move.
Also, the depth is a bit questionable behind Jewell and Griffith, who are the projected starters.
Josey Jewell is a more old school linebacker who missed most of 2021 with a torn pectoral, and Jonas Griffith is a hyper athletic linebacker who made the most of his limited opportunities in 2021.
If the team runs through 2022 with these two, I really don’t think it’ll end up being a glaring weakness that holds the defense back, but I do think it’s a clear position to upgrade.
If the Broncos want to show Russell Wilson and the rest of the NFL how serious they are about trying to win Super Bowls, trading for Roquan Smith to upgrade a weaker group makes a ton of sense.
The deal would likely have to include either Jewell or Griffith, but I think if the team can only give up one player plus some draft picks, that’s a small price to pay for an elite player.
Three reasons Denver Broncos should trade for Roquan Smith: NFL’s best defenses employ studs at inside linebacker
The best defenses in the NFL all share a few things in common, and one of them are absurdly talented linebackers.
The Buffalo Bills have Matt Milano and Tremaine Edmunds. The San Francisco 49ers have Fred Warner. The Indianapolis Colts have Darius Leonard. The New Orleans Saints have Demario Davis. The New England Patriots had Dont’a Hightower for years.
The Rams, who just won the Super Bowl, decided their defense wasn’t good enough and gave Bobby Wagner, an inside linebacker, a massive contract.
The Broncos, during their Super Bowl run in 2015, had Brandon Marshall and Danny Trevathan in the middle of the defense, two excellent players at the time.
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You see, I think some people understate the importance of the inside linebacker. I think there is plenty evidence to indicate that they are heavily contributing to their respective defenses success, and I just don’t think Josey Jewell and Jonas Griffith are going to cut it for the long-term.