The Chicago Bears spent almost the entire free agency period focused on upgrading their offense. Allen Robinson, Taylor Gabriel, Trey Burton, Bennie Fowler and Malcolm Brown were all added to the receiving corps. Mitch Trubisky is in far better shape than he was at the end of last season. Those moves, in turn, allowed the Bears to shift their focus towards the defense going into the draft.
There were plenty of options at the #8 overall pick for GM Ryan Pace. One for each major defensive position. However, the position that seemed to stand out most was inside linebacker. Having lost both Jerrell Freeman and Christian Jones, it was felt the team needed an upgrade in that area. They seem to have found their guy.
At. No. 8, the Bears take Roquan Smith
— Jeff Howe (@jeffphowe) April 27, 2018
Chicago Bears nab a potential star in Roquan Smith
He may not have been the first defender off the board, but he might’ve been the best one in the draft class. Roquan Smith was an absolute force for Georgia during their national championship run last year. He’s smart, instinctive, athletic, and tough. His speed is impossible to ignore. Running the ball to the outside is not an option with him on the field.
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He finished with 137 tackles in 2017. Yet that wasn’t all. He also had 6.5 sacks, showcasing his ability to play downhill as a blitzer. He’s drawn comparisons to everybody from Patrick Willis to Ray Lewis. Vic Fangio happened to coach both of those men.
People can talk about questionable fit. Smith isn’t big enough to take on blocks from offensive linemen. That’s not his game. Still, the Butkus Award winner didn’t let that stop him from dominating anyways. With Akiem Hicks and Eddie Goldman keeping him clean up front, there is no telling how much damage he and Danny Trevathan can do together.
Stopping the run will be a lot easier moving forward. Now the question becomes can the Bears improve their pass rush? Stick around to find out.
