With the dawn of a new NFL Draft upon us, it brings back memories that aren’t always pleasant. Thoughts of busts and the “could’ve beens” and “could’ve hads” come floating back in the ultimate game of “What If?”
Luckily for the Chicago Bears, they didn’t have that problem last season.
Knowing what they know now, would the 32 general managers in the NFL do it all the same again? Not likely. Which is why it’s fun — or depressing, depending on your team’s situation — to play a little game of re-drafting.
Sports Illustrated released their re-draft of the 2018 NFL Draft. And you’re going to be disgusted where they had Roquan Smith going.
It’s not so much fun when your productive rookie linebacker is sent to the Green Bay Packers, hypothetically, of course.
Again, this isn’t a reflection of Smith having a bad rookie season—he was great. While it’s not precisely the haunting edge defender Mike Pettine’s defense needed, Smith can play in any system and cover almost anyone. He’s valuable anywhere.
Despite holding out for most of training camp and then injuring his hamstring, which caused him to miss the preseason, Smith made his presence known from the moment he stepped on the field. His first play in the season-opener against the Green Bay Packers was a sack of Deshone Kizer, who had been filling in for the injured Aaron Rodgers.
There were concerns of potential setbacks due to Smith missing training camp and preseason. But while he got off to a slow start last season — he had only 18 tackles in his first four games — once Smith got going, he showed exactly why the Bears selected him No. 8 overall. In 2018, Smith led the Bears in tackles, with 122, including eight tackles-for-loss and added five sacks and two interceptions.
Considering how much of an immediate impact Smith had in his rookie season, it’s clear that last season was just the start. The expectations are huge heading into his second season.
“It was huge to watch him just kind of flourish, especially in the late part of the year,” Bears GM Ryan Pace said. “You talk to Roquan and you can just feel him — no different than any player — just feeling comfortable in the defense. So now he’s not thinking as much, he’s just playing with his instincts, and he’s playing fast.
“Those are his greatest strengths — his instincts and his speed. So the sky’s the limit for him. It’s just exciting to see him grow. And I think you saw a glimpse of what he’s going to be, especially in the later part of the season.”
As for the Bears, Sports Illustrated had them going with guard Quenton Nelson, who everyone saw last year is going to be a very special player.
The Bears are doing backflips in their facility with this pick. The most pro-ready offensive lineman in five years tumbles to them, giving them a decade of Pro Bowls to pair with Kyle Long. Also, Dwayne Johnson is president.
While the thought of having Quenton Nelson on the Bears sure sounds appealing, the thought of not having Roquan Smith just feels wrong.
