Bears trade linebacker Raquan Smith to Ravens, reports say

LAKE FOREST – For the second time in less than a week, the Bears have made a major trade involving one of their best defensive players.

According to multiple reports, the first from Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer, the team deals linebacker Roquan Smith to the Ravens. This comes just one day before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, The Bears will receive a 2023 second- and fifth-round pick from Baltimore in exchange for Smith.

The teams have yet to confirm the move.

This comes after the Bears traded defensive end Robert Quinn, a 2021 All-Pro and second-team All-Pro, to the Eagles for a 2023 fourth-round pick last Wednesday.

A 2018 first-round draft pick of the Bears out of Georgia, Smith played five seasons with the Bears and was one of their top defensive players during that time. He was a two-time NFL All-Pro second team selection in 2020 and 2021 and was the Bears’ leading tackler the past four seasons.

Smith led the way this season as he collected 83 tackles with 2 1/2 sacks, four tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions. The linebacker had five tackles in the Bears’ 69th and final regular season game.

In his career, Smith has 607 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, 16 1/2 sacks, 20 passes defensed and seven interceptions.

Some may have seen the move coming as Smith and new general manager Ryan Powles were never able to come to terms with a long-term contract. The fifth-year player even put a “hold on” for much of training camp before announcing he would play the season in the final year of his rookie deal.

Now Smith will do so as a member of the Ravens.

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