Roquan Smith’s struggles have been one of the most surprising developments of the Chicago Bears 2022 season thus far. He has struggled mightily against both the run and the pass and has looked like a fish out of water playing outside linebacker in Chicago’s new 4-3 system. While two games are far too small of a sample size to judge whether the move will work out in Chicago’s favor, the early signs do not look promising.
Chicago’s Week 3 matchup with the lowly Texans has been billed as a get-right game for their offense, but it also represents a perfect opportunity for Smith to get back on track. They lack proven playmakers on offense, and Davis Mills might be the least inspiring quarterback they will face all season. Unfortunately, his status for the contest is up in the air, as a hip injury kept him out of practice this week.
The Chicago Bears might need to consider moving Roquan Smith back to MLB
The Chicago Bears are certainly hoping that the two-time All-Pro will be able to play, but it would be even more concerning to see him suit up and have a repeat performance of his previous two games. Chicago has been gashed on the ground in back-to-back contests and has allowed a league-high 389 rushing yards. While it would be unfair to put that on Smith’s shoulders, he is partially to blame due to his status as the team’s defensive leader.
When analyzing Smith’s performance thus far, it becomes clear that he is attempting to do too much and make a game-changing play on every snap. However, playing with that type of reckless abandon can leave players susceptible to back-breaking mistakes at inopportune times, and the 25-year-old has routinely fallen victim to that. He is trying to justify the contract the front office did not want to pay him but has seemingly only proven why they were wise in not doing so.
There is no denying that Roquan Smith is a talented player who deserves to get paid next time he puts pen to paper. He has rare athleticism and the instincts teams covet out of their off-the-ball ‘backers. However, his play as an outside linebacker has left a lot to be desired and has effectively brought his versatility into question.
It just might take some more time for him to get his feet wet at outside linebacker (a normal preseason would have probably been helpful), but Chicago has to consider moving him back inside if he continues to struggle. Smith has no prior experience playing in a 4-3 system, and the thought of playing on a different somewhere he is not used to could be causing him to second-guess himself.
Smith looked like one of the best young linebackers in the league in his first four seasons. He not only lived up to the hype of being a top-10 selection but also met the high standards of being a middle linebacker in the Windy City, which is a much tougher draw. There is no reason to believe his brief hold-in changed how he played the game, and he just needs to be put in a better position to succeed.
The Chicago Bears will need to get better play out of their best defensive player if they want to stop hemorrhaging yards to running backs.
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While a move back to the inside might not be a cure-all, it would be a step in the right direction. It would allow Smith to diagnose plays from a position he is used to and hopefully rediscover his sideline-to-sideline playmaking ability. If he fails to regain his previous form in the new scheme, it would not be surprising to see him playing for another team next year, which would be an extremely disappointing development for a team with a lack of proven All-Pro talent.