LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

[Lexwhat]

Smith was just traded from Chicago to Baltimore before the trade deadline.

"In Baltimore, Smith upgraded the Ravens' defense immensely. His ability as a sideline-to-sideline tackling maven with coverage skills added dynamic play in the middle of the defense"

The reason for my post is that this is now the benchmark for the Tremaine Edmunds deal. I don't see how Beane can fit that contract into this team with the Von Miller deal, but it depends on what the future salary cap limits are.

With the Hamlin situation (potentially career ending injury), this makes it even tougher to lose Poyer next year. Hamlin was the only capable Safety this team has outside of Hyde/Poyer.

I wonder if Benford can be moved to Safety next year?

https://www.nfl.com/news/ravens-lb-roquan-smith-agree-to-terms-on-five-year-100-million-contract-extensio

[kgun12]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

I don’t see them paying Edmunds that kind of money even if they could. I also think they go to FA to kind there next safety tandem

[Mace]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

I wouldn't pay Edmunds that kind of money for how they feebly use him, by the same token I don't know they find a guy who can be that feebly used at the same production, such as it is, in this scheme, but this defensive scheme has made it's own problems with a lack of evolution.

Don't know how this ends up but you can't pay him that money in this scheme, he'll never measure up to it for how they use him in his role, in this scheme, imho.

[Lexwhat]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

It has been Beane's policy to only give big long-term contracts to young, home-grown players (Edmunds fits that description). Von Miller is the only exception.

I think Beane finally saw what they wanted to see from Edmunds this year. Unfortunately, we have no replacement for Edmunds on this roster, and sometimes it only takes 1 team (like the Ravens here) to totally reset the market for a given position.

Franchise tag for Edmunds is a possibility; I don't recall if Beane has ever used the Franchise Tag though.

[YardRat]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

Edmunds isn't worth half that.

And Beane made Morse the highest paid center in the league, and re-upped Diggs almost immediately, so he's opened the pocket book for more than just Miller.

[Night Train]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

Smith is a far better player than #49. Don't see the parallel at all.

[Mace]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

Smith is a far better player than #49. Don't see the parallel at all.

I just honestly wonder what happens if you insert him into this junk scheme. He could elevate it or disappear into it. I'm not a big Edmunds booster, but I'll never be entirely sure he wasn't misused.

[kgun12]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

I just honestly wonder what happens if you insert him into this junk scheme. He could elevate it or disappear into it. I'm not a big Edmunds booster, but I'll never be entirely sure he wasn't misused.

The problem is he lack instincts for the ball in the run game. His speed make up his lack of instincts in the passing game and they are mostly in zone. For as much as he brings to the passing game he’s just as bad in the run game.

[notacon]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

I’m not going to get into a pissing match with the Edmunds (I’ll be kind here) doubters. Just a waste of time. Beane is going to do what he thinks is the best for the team....and that would be to extend Edmunds if they can come to a fair agreement.

The market will determine what Edmunds is worth. And I suspect that most NFL teams value him much higher than a few fans here.

What is most interesting with this signing is they still do not have Lamar Jackson under contract for next year.

That idiot STILL does not have an agent, and he has shown himself to be unreliable since he can't stay on the field. Especially late in the year when a QB is needed the most.

I wonder if they franchise tag him and then try to trade him.

[notacon]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

Funny, the one single grading source that the Edmunds doubters desperately tried to use as proof (‘proof, I tell you’ ) that he sucks was PFF.


At the end of this 2022 season, PFF has Edmunds ranked #12 in grading....Milano is #18 and Roquan Smith is #28.

[notacon]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

PFF has Josh Allen #1, Stefon Diggs #4, Von Miller #10. Greg Rousseau #12.

[Canadian'eh!]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

I’m not going to get into a pissing match with the Edmunds (I’ll be kind here) doubters. Just a waste of time. Beane is going to do what he thinks is the best for the team....and that would be to extend Edmunds if they can come to a fair agreement.

The market will determine what Edmunds is worth. And I suspect that most NFL teams value him much higher than a few fans here.

What is most interesting with this signing is they still do not have Lamar Jackson under contract for next year.

That idiot STILL does not have an agent, and he has shown himself to be unreliable since he can't stay on the field. Especially late in the year when a QB is needed the most.

I wonder if they franchise tag him and then try to trade him.

So what do you think he will get?

- - - Updated - - -

Funny, the one single grading source that the Edmunds doubters desperately tried to use as proof (‘proof, I tell you’ ) that he sucks was PFF.


At the end of this 2022 season, PFF has Edmunds ranked #12 in grading....Milano is #18 and Roquan Smith is #28.

so, you agree that Edmunds is better than Milano?

[notacon]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

So what do you think he will get?

I have no idea. Probably in the $13M to $15M APY if I were to guess....maybe as high as $16M. Just a guess. And with the cap increases year after year, no one knows.


Additionally, the APY is a misleading number. Does not really mean that much (depending on how the contract is structured....the APY is the marketing number....the sizzle). What’s important is the cap hit each year, and the guaranteed money and what kind of “guarantee” it is.....”fully” guaranteed or not.


With Edmunds being so young, long contracts that have lower cap hits in the early years is easier to structure. We’ll find out in a few months what the NFL thinks he’s worth.

so, you agree that Edmunds is better than Milano?

Nope. PFF grading is not a measure if one player is “better” than another as in ranking the overall quality of a player.


It was the Edmunds doubters that tried to use the flawed PFF grading to argue that he sucked. Now that they have him graded much higher, I suspect they will change their tune and ignore it.


I have said many times, that the PARTNERSHIP of BOTH Edmunds AND Milano gives the Bills the BEST LB DUO in the NFL. And the Bills are blessed to be in that situation.

Just like they were blessed with the safety duo of Hyde and Poyer.


The classic ’the whole is greater than the sum of the parts’.


If I were to rank the two, I would put Milano ever so slightly above Edmunds.

[jamze132]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

R. Smith has much better stats than Edmunds throughout their careers. He’s a playmaker while Edmunds still plugs the wrong hole.

[YardRat]

Re: LB Roquan Smith - 5 Years / $100 Million from Ravens

I just honestly wonder what happens if you insert him into this junk scheme. He could elevate it or disappear into it. I'm not a big Edmunds booster, but I'll never be entirely sure he wasn't misused.

Not a fan of the bendy scheme obviously, but IMO the only misuse of Edmunds is playing him out of position. He just doesn't have the read and react skills a linebacker...especially an inside linebacker...needs to truly be successful. Edmunds needs to be on the edge. If a linebacker of Smith's quality were inserted into this scheme I would guess we see less out of position by one hole or more mis-reads and less bites on play fakes just for starters.