Bears general manager Ryan Pace hasn’t hit on his first-round picks, but inside linebacker Roquan Smith could be the exception. Smith had to overcome some adversity last season, including a season-ending injury, but he believes that he’s poised for his best season yet in 2020.
“I got a huge chip on my shoulder,” Smith told reporters Wednesday. “Just really excited. I don’t want much hype going into the year, because I know my mindset and what I plan to do this upcoming season. God willing, I stay healthy, I definitely feel like it’s going to be my best year to date. I feel like I’m going to do some things. A lot of people counted me out.”
During his rookie season, Smith was named a Pro Bowl alternate as a rookie after tallying a team-leading 121 tackles, five sacks, eight tackles-for-loss, one interception and five pass breakups.
While Smith’s second season didn’t go as well — he missed one game due to personal reasons and missed the final three games due to injury — he was playing his best football in the second half of the season. Smith has led the Bears in tackles in his first two seasons, and he’ll be looking to better that kind of production in Year 3.
“I just feel like I have a lot that I have to live up to myself — my personal goals and then team goals and things of that nature,” Smith said. “I’m definitely just trying to make this year my best year possible, better than any of the other years I’ve had, and just maximize myself.
“If I come out each and every week and play to my standard, I feel like everything else will just take care of itself. That’s my main thing, like, coming out and playing to my standard, doing whatever I can to control what I can, and not letting up anything. Just being relentless. Just putting everything on me.”
Smith had an up-and-down year in 2019, but he was one of the Bears’ strongest defensive players before he landed on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle in Week 14. Smith told reporters that he’s fully recovered from his surgery, and that he’s ready to get back on the field, which at this point looks to be training camp.
“I feel like I’m 100 percent, honestly,” Smith said. “Others may have a different opinion, but I definitely feel like I’m 100 percent and I’m excited for where I’m at right now and I feel like I can pretty much do any and everything.”
