Roquan Smith was unhappy in the offseason and asked for a trade. Eventually he came back to play for the Chicago Bears, and has had a productive first half of the season.
He played well enough that he got a trade to a contender.
The Baltimore Ravens added a big piece to their defense, trading for the inside linebacker on Monday. Smith has 83 tackles, 2.5 sacks and two interceptions this season. The Bears will get second- and fifth-round picks in return, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
That is in addition to getting two pass rushers activated to the roster, including rookie David Ojabo. Ojabo was a projected first-round pick before tearing his Achilles during a pro day workout. He went in the second round. Tyus Bowser will also be activated, coach John Harbaugh said.
The Bears lost to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, and that dropped their record to 3-5. They were already sellers before Tuesday's trade deadline, shipping pass rusher Robert Quinn to the Philadelphia Eagles last week.
Smith was a former first-round pick heading into the final year of his rookie contract. He wanted an extension, and the lack of movement on that front led to the trade request before the season started. It's likely the Ravens will want to extend him after sending those two draft picks to Chicago in the trade.
The Ravens are 5-3, and could have been 8-0 if they hadn't blown three double-digit leads. Getting Smith should help the defense hold some of those leads the rest of the season.