Chicago Bears: 3 Breakout players who will emerge in 2021
1. Roquan Smith, Linebacker
Having Roquan Smith on this list seems sacrilegious to Chicago Bears fans. Since his first game in Chicago, Bears fans have seen firsthand how good he really is. He recorded 100+ tackles in each of his three seasons, including in 2019 when he only played in 12 games.
Additionally, Smith is a good coverage linebacker. Opposing quarterbacks owned a 75.8 passer rating last season. That number is 30 points below the average passer rating when targeting linebackers.
Despite having numbers that rank among the best in the league, Smith doesn’t get the acknowledgment he richly deserves. Last season, he ranked fifth among inside linebackers with 139, third in sacks with four, third with seven passes defended, and led all inside linebackers with 18 tackles for loss. Also, he was the only player to record at least 100 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss, two sacks, and two interceptions last season.
One of the ways a player feels valued is how he gets paid. Smith sees these linebackers he’s outplaying get rewarded with big contracts. Smith is in the fourth year of his rookie contract. The Bears picked up his fifth-year option. They can wait until after the 2022 season to re-sign him. If Smith continues to dominate the way he is, though, the price to sign him will be very high.
Despite that, Smith has yet to be named to a Pro Bowl. He was selected to the NFL’s All-Pro Second Team, though.
dark. Next. 56 Bold predictions for the 2021 season
Smith is ready to make believers out of the national press and fans outside of Chicago. He wants to become a household name and this season will be the one in which Chicago’s secret gets out. The Chicago Bears have a history of top-notch linebackers. Smith will add to that history and the NFL world will finally see it.