ExtremeRavens Posted 17 hours ago Posted 17 hours ago When an anonymous NFL assistant said in an ESPN ranking of off-ball linebackers last week that the Ravens’ Roquan Smith “needs to get in better shape” and that he “looks a little sluggish at times,” Kyle Van Noy rushed to his keyboard for a profane rebuttal with the same verve that he often displayed pursuing opposing quarterbacks for Baltimore last season. Van Noy’s NSFW defense on X — and quarterback Lamar Jackson’s tacit endorsement via re-post — of a teammate voted Associated Press first-team All-Pro was hardly surprising (never mind that Smith was second behind only San Francisco 49ers star Fred Warner on ESPN’s list). But every outsized reaction almost always carries at least a shred of stinging truth. Smith’s 2024 performance was no exception. He led the team in tackles (154) again in what was his eighth NFL season and third in Baltimore since the Ravens traded for him midway through 2022. He was disruptive in the passing game down the stretch as well, ranking as the fourth-best linebacker in the league, according to Pro Football Focus, with an 81.8 coverage grade from Week 11 onward. But that is a painting only partially complete. Overall, PFF ranked Smith as just the 86th best linebacker in the NFL last season with a mark of 65.2. Through his first nine games, he had only one tackle for loss, no sacks or quarterback hits, and three pass breakups. Against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 1, wide receiver Rashee Rice racked up seven catches for 103 yards, exposing some glaring weaknesses in the Ravens’ coverage that included Smith. In Week 9, Baltimore blew out the Denver Broncos, 41-10, but Smith had just three tackles in 54 snaps and, on one play, got juked badly by quarterback Bo Nix. In between, communication issues permeated the defense as a whole. There were personnel problems that most notably included fellow inside linebacker Trenton Simpson’s struggles and eventual benching. And there was frustration with some of the coaching, the latter eventually leading to the firing of inside linebackers coach Mark DeLeone after the season. Smith, the bellower of fiery pregame speeches and wearer of the green dot as the defensive play-caller, also acknowledged that his play was at times not up to its usual snuff, with reasons ranging from his body to trying at times to do too much to cover up for others. “Coming into the year, I was banged up early in the year,” Smith told The Baltimore Sun recently, though he was not specific about lingering injuries that later led to hamstring issues during the season. “Some of that was just [needing to be] in better shape; then just focusing on doing my job and not [doing] anything more or anything less.” READER POLL: Who has the best team in the NFL? A lot has changed since then. Smith is one of four players who second-year defensive coordinator Zach Orr spoke highly about after mandatory minicamp in June, noting that the 28-year-old is “running at some untimely speeds right now that he hasn’t ran at for us.” Simpson is also “a lot more confident,” Orr added, and now has an understanding of the defense that is “completely different from what it was last year,” according to Smith. DeLeone, meanwhile, was replaced by Tyler Santucci, who was viewed as a fast riser in the college ranks and drew praise for his work at Georgia Tech, Duke and Texas A&M. The Ravens have also made scheme and roster adjustments. There is a growing trend toward more nickel and dime defenses — which deploy more defensive backs to counter a pass-heavy attack — which should alleviate some of the pressure on Smith. Malcontent safeties Eddie Jackson and Marcus Williams are also gone, the former waived before the end of November last year, the latter released in March. The communication issues that plagued Baltimore during the first half of last season have also been cleaned up, and the communication has been “crystal clear” so far, Smith said. “A lot of times last year, it would be like people would know what to do, but then not being on the same page sometimes would make this person look crazy or that person look crazy,” Smith continued. “All of us would look crazy at the end of the day. “[At OTAs], this was the most installs that have been thrown at us, that I’ve been thrown at my entire career. It’s pretty sweet to see. Seeing how we respond, making minimal errors. It’s not nearly as many errors as before.” It bodes well for a defense that just two years ago was historically great. It’s also just the start of training camp, which kicks off with the first full practice Wednesday. “It’s about being in good shape and having a clear understanding of what's going on,” Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith told The Baltimore Sun when asked what his biggest focus heading into the year is. (Kim Hairston/Staff file) The expectation from the organization and Smith himself is a much better performance this season. With three years remaining on a five-year, $100 million contract that makes him the highest-paid player at his position, it will have to be for the emotional and physical heartbeat of the defense. “It’s about being in good shape and having a clear understanding of what’s going on,” Smith told The Sun when asked what his biggest focus heading into the year is. “For myself, eating better and taking better care of myself and make sure I’m taking care of that and not letting it grow into something else. “In this league, it’s what have you done for me lately.” Have a news tip? Contact Brian Wacker at bwacker@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/brianwacker1. View the full article Quote
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