Chicago Bears: Why Roquan Smith should play against Broncos

Game Speed

I know I am going to get all of the obvious reactions like, “Smith is one of the fastest sideline-to-sideline linebackers out of the entire draft class.”

I have no doubt. I understand his skill set. It’s because of his unique skillset that I am excited the Bears chose to draft him. But, any player will tell you that game speed is much different from the college level to the pros.

One of the things you see around the league now is much more of a trend heading towards position-less football. With the speed and athleticism of so many kids coming out of college, the offensive game has changed immensely in just a handful of years.

This is due to both the intelligence and scheming of coaches, but also because of how much faster it is played today. Players are much faster, much stronger and much smarter than ever. The leap from college to the NFL is enormous, and while I don’t see Smith having an issue long-term, I think it will be beneficial for him to get a good amount of reps in the preseason.

After all, the Bears are taking on arguably the best quarterback in all of football Week 1, Aaron Rodgers. What Rodgers brings to the table is the uncanny ability to throw an accurate ball on the run, get out of trouble and pull out the incredible plays when you least expect it. The Bears will need Smith to be up to speed by then, pun intended.