PITTSBURGH — Ever since Ryan Shazier's burgeoning NFL career ended so suddenly and tragically, the Steelers have been searching for inside linebackers.
Searching quite aggressively, I might add — first through free agency, then by relinquishing precious assets to move up 10 spots to draft Devin Bush, then by trade (Joe Schobert has yet to find another team, in case you were wondering).
Here we are, five years later, and there's still a void. The depth chart lists Myles Jack and Bush "OR" Robert Spillane at the inside linebacker positions. It's not overly inspiring.
Clearly, the Steelers value the position higher than many. Mike Tomlin has drafted an inside linebacker in the first round three times. At the moment, though, they lack a star and leader at the epicenter of their defense, where Jack Lambert and James Farrior roamed when this team was winning Super Bowls.
Enter one Roquan Smith.
You want a star? He's a star — second-team All Pro each of the past two years. He's only 25. He's plenty durable, and he could be available. He wants to be available, anyway, having informed the Chicago Bears he doesn't feel wanted and seeks a trade.
Which is to say, Smith wants a new contract as he heads into the fifth and final year of his rookie deal — and he will cost upwards of $100 million with $50 million-some guaranteed starting next season.
Think of it this way: It would be the kind of deal Bush would be seeking if things had turned out as the Steelers planned.
But before we talk about whether the Steelers are a plausible suitor for Smith, let's be clear about what kind of player we're talking about. As CBSsports.com noted, Smith is one of six players in league history to register 500 or more tackles, 10-plus sacks and five or more interceptions over his first four seasons.
ESPN recently polled NFL players, coaches and executives on the best off-the-ball linebackers in the league, and Smith came in fifth, behind Darius Leonard, Micah Parsons, Fred Warner and Devin White.
Their conclusion:
"Smith has reached premier status by filling up the stat sheet, with 524 tackles (43 for a loss), 14 sacks, 17 pass deflections and five interceptions (over four seasons). 'Best overall LB in football in my opinion,' an NFL coordinator said. 'Others might be slightly better in one of the four facets of the game — run game, pass coverage, blitzer, leadership — but that kid is top four in every category.' What hurts Smith? Where he plays. Expectations are low for Chicago in 2022. 'If he was in somewhere like Dallas, he'd be celebrated as maybe the best,' a Pro Bowl NFL player said."
Obviously, there would be plenty of interest if Smith appeared on the trade block. The CBS piece wondered if he "could pick up (after) Ray Lewis and be Baltimore's next great middle linebacker, which is in a similar vein to what he enjoyed about playing in Chicago with their long history of linebackers."
How about Pittsburgh?
It would take some creative and perhaps magical salary cap finagling, but that's why they pay new general manager Omar Khan the big bucks, right? These are the types of moves you can afford to make — the kinds of moves you should try to make — when you don't have to pay a star quarterback hundreds of millions of dollars.
Some will no doubt laugh at the idea, but there's nothing funny about the inside linebacker situation, and people probably laughed at the notion of the Steelers trading a first-round pick to acquire Fitzpatrick, throwing tens of millions of dollars at free agents (including Jack) this offseason, drafting Kenny Pickett in the first round, etc.
Fact is, the Steelers have in recent years — for better or worse — made some awfully bold and unexpected moves. This one would top them all. NFL reporter Kyle Yates had an interesting thought in a recent tweet: "I'm curious about Roquan Smith to the Steelers. Cap space would need to be figured out, but this is a team that prioritizes LB and Devin Bush hasn't paid off. Chase Claypool plus draft picks to Chicago? Could be something there ... "
If I suggested Claypool and a second-round pick, would you think about it? How about Claypool and a couple of lower-round picks? I like Claypool, but George Pickens profiles similarly.
How about a package involving Diontae Johnson? That would be mighty bold.
The inside linebacker position is hardly secured for the future. Bush is trending toward a bust. Spillane's a role player. Jack might still have some juice, but he wasn't exactly coveted in free agency.
Long shot or not, the Steelers should be all over this.
