Roquan Smith

[adam]

So in the last 3 games, Roquan has 30 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 sacks, 1 INT, and 1 PD. This is an All-Pro stat line. This corresponds with the 3 games that Trevathan has missed. Roquan has really stepped up. 

The storyline is going to get interesting this week as some speculation earlier in the season was that Roquan was having some issues with the Bears throwback jerseys. Well, this upcoming week, the Bears will go back to those throwbacks, so we will see if we can rule that out once and for all. Hopefully we do.

The Bears needed Roquan to be a top 10 pick and he is delivering.

We are also getting great play out of Kwit filling in for Trevathan. He will come in handy against DAL this week with Elliott running the ball.

 

[AZ54]

Fans were behind the speculation on the jerseys.  Whatever was going on Roquan is clearly back, hitting people hard, and I'm seeing him start to be the emotional leader on the field.  I'd love to have Trevathan back next year but it will only happen on a much lower contract.  He's had a couple injury plagued years, our defense hasn't played as well this year, and at his age his market value will not be as high as when we signed him.  A lot has changed since the beginning of the season.  We may well go with Kwit and expect Josh Woods or Iggy step up as a coverage LB.  Woods didn't look to bad in coverage in the preseason.  

[adam]

If Roquan keeps this up, he would have to be in the All-Pro discussions at ILB, he is currently tied for 6th in the NFL in tackles.

In the NFC, he is one of four LB's with a sack, an INT and 90+ tackles:

1. Jordan Hicks, ARZ, 110 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 3 INT
2. De'Vondre Campbell, ATL, 99 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT
3. Roquan Smith, CHI, 98 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT
4. Cory Littleton, LAR, 94 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 2 INT

Jaylon Smith leads the NFL with 112 tackles and has 2 sacks, but no INTs. 

Now if you only count solo tackles, Roquan has 65, Smith has 68, and the league leader is Budda Baker who has 71. So Smith is really close to the league lead and if he has a few more games with 10 tackles, he might get there.