The Ravens and inside linebacker Roquan Smith have agreed to a contract extension, a supply with direct data of the state of affairs informed The Baltimore Sun.
According to NFL Network, the record-breaking contract is a five-year, $100 million extension, which makes Smith the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in league historical past and contains $60 million in complete ensures. Smith represented himself in negotiations.
With the deal, the Ravens took care of what was anticipated to be their second greatest piece of offseason enterprise. With Smith, 25, locked up as a defensive centerpiece, normal supervisor Eric DeCosta will probably be in higher place to make use of the franchise tag to maintain quarterback Lamar Jackson in Baltimore if Jackson doesn’t comply with an extension.
The Ravens traded for Smith, a two-time All-Pro who was the eighth general decide by the Chicago Bears in 2018, in late October, hoping he could be the ultimate piece to make their protection elite. If something, he has exceeded expectations, each as a playmaker and as a temper lifter within the locker room. He just lately made his first Pro Bowl.
Smith’s $100 million deal is the second largest in crew historical past behind the six-year, $120.6 million extension quarterback Joe Flacco signed after he gained Super Bowl Most Valuable Player honors in 2012 that made him the highest-paid participant in NFL historical past. Left deal with Ronnie Stanley signed for 5 years, $98.75 million and cornerback Marlon Humphrey for 5 years, $97.5 million.
The Colts’ Shaquille Leonard was beforehand the highest-paid participant at Smith’s place. The five-year, $98.25 million contract extension he signed in August 2021 pays him a median wage of $19.7 million and included $52.5 million in ensures, in line with Over the Cap.
DeCosta adopted the identical formulation he did with cornerback Marcus Peters in 2019, making a splashy commerce to enhance his protection at midseason with none assure Smith would stick round previous this 12 months. As with Peters, the Ravens’ tradition proved preferrred for Smith, and he signed months earlier than he would have hit the open market.
“It’s been everything I wanted and more,” Smith stated final month when requested if Baltimore had lived as much as his expectations.
Smith was already thought of one of many league’s high defensive playmakers based mostly on his 4 1/2 seasons in Chicago, throughout which he recorded 607 tackles, 47 tackles for loss, 16 1/2 sacks and 7 interceptions. He has missed simply 4 video games in his profession.
Smith staged a hold-in throughout Chicago’s coaching camp amid stalled contract negotiations, and he publicly demanded a commerce after his extension talks with the Bears stalled, saying the crew had refused to barter in good religion. But he nonetheless began the season as one among Chicago’s crew captains and led the league in tackles on the time he was dealt to Baltimore for second- and fifth-round picks and linebacker A.J. Klein.
Smith stated he was initially “shocked” by the commerce however keen to assist the Ravens “get over the hump” as Super Bowl contenders. He shortly made good on his promise.
Statistics inform one aspect of the story. The Ravens’ protection ranked fifteenth in Football Outsiders’ DVOA earlier than Smith arrived and has vaulted to 3rd with him patrolling the center over the previous 9 video games. In his 9 video games with the Ravens, Smith has earned an 84.7 grade from Pro Football Focus, up from 60.1 over his eight video games this season with the Bears.
As for his influence on teammates, Ravens coach John Harbaugh addressed it Monday: “He has been fantastic that way. He’s all about it. He doesn’t worry about what people think; he doesn’t care. He wants to do the things that are required to be a great player and to be a great unit and then to impact your team. That’s what he’s all about — 100% — [and] that’s what I love about him. He’s one of the top guys I’ve ever seen that way, and I think that does always impact everybody as a leader, for sure. I want all of our guys to lead that way.”
Teammates and coaches have described Smith as an “old soul” who drops folksy sayings, chats them up about every thing from fishing to world geography and by no means stops shouting out the patterns he observes on the sphere.
He and the Ravens’ 2020 first-round decide, Patrick Queen, instantly shaped one of the vital productive linebacker duos within the league.
“Just trusting each other,” Queen stated just lately when requested why the partnership has labored so nicely. “Just having the utmost trust and comfort with each other and just playing the calls that they’re giving us. I think we both know how great we can be, and I think that’s pushing us to be better than what we’ve been playing.”
The Ravens’ monetary dedication to Smith might in the end make it harder for them to maintain Queen, who’s within the third 12 months of his rookie deal, past subsequent season. They must resolve this offseason whether or not to choose up a fifth-year possibility on Queen, which might have price $11.7 million in 2022. He might turn into a commerce candidate if DeCosta decides to restrict his funding at inside linebacker, not historically considered a premium place within the NFL.
With Smith, Humphrey, Stanley, security Marcus Williams and tight finish Mark Andrews all on the books for profitable offers and Jackson maybe set to affix them, DeCosta might face loads of troublesome budgeting selections over the following few seasons.
Given Smith’s reported $22.5 million signing bonus, his deal wouldn’t deprive the Ravens of room to signal Jackson to an extension or use the franchise tag to maintain him for 2023. If he and the Ravens don’t agree on an extension by March 7, Baltimore would want to make use of its franchise tag to maintain him from turning into a free agent. Under an unique franchise tag, Jackson would probably be owed about $45 million subsequent season.
But these are issues for later. For now, the Ravens hope Smith and Queen will assist make them a playoff victory Sunday over the Cincinnati Bengals. Smith led them with 16 tackles final Sunday in a 27-16 loss in Cincinnati.
“It’s an all-out war and those guys know that when we come back next week, we’ll be here,” he stated afterward. “I’m excited and I think it’s going to be a great opportunity for us to show the world exactly what we’re going to do.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com