5 reasons the Chicago Bears can win with Nick Foles as QB
By Sean Sears
Healthy Roquan Smith primed for a breakout year
One of the more underrated players on the Bears defense, Roquan Smith was becoming a difference-maker in the middle of the field Chicago missed since Urlacher retired. But the former 1st round pick showed over his first two seasons a nose for the ball, leading the team in solo and combination tackles the last two seasons.
And while the defense as a whole as struggling to stay healthy, Smith’s presence was missed in the final three games of the season. First, the Bears were torched for 415 total yards against the Packers, then were blowout by the Chiefs the following week, and then wrapped up the season letting the Vikings rush for 158 yards.
While none of that is a direct result of Smith not being on the field, but it’s hard to believe the Bears defense won’t have benefitted some from having their leading tackler healthy and playing. But after two solid seasons in Chicago, Smith should be ready to take on more of a leadership role and was expected to start calling plays in 2019. Veteran linebacker Danny Trevathan however, remained the one with the green dot on his helmet calling in all the plays to the defense last season.
Smith has shown he’s a very capable linebacker with elite speed and instinct, 2020 should be the year he finally puts all of these tools together and solidifies himself as one of the best inside linebackers in football.