Player
Roquan Smith
LB
Tackle rate per game normalizes for availability — it shows Smith's per-play efficiency is elite regardless of games missed. Only Wagner, an all-time great, consistently matches him over this era.
8.60 tackles per game since 2018 — 2nd only to Bobby Wagner (8.69) among LBs with 80+ regular-season games.
AnomalyLB tackle rate leaders 2018–2025 (min 80 REG games)
| Player | Games | Total Tackles | Tackles/G |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Wagner | 130 | 1,130 | 8.69 |
| Roquan Smith | 125 | 1,075 | 8.60 |
| Jordyn Brooks | 93 | 766 | 8.24 |
| Alex Singleton | 85 | 700 | 8.24 |
| Foye Oluokun | 126 | 990 | 7.86 |
Why it matters. Tackle rate per game normalizes for availability — it shows Smith's per-play efficiency is elite regardless of games missed. Only Wagner, an all-time great, consistently matches him over this era.
Top-5 in NFL tackles in 5 of his 8 seasons — the only LB to crack the top 5 that many times since 2018.
RareSmith's NFL tackle ranking by year
| Season | Tackles | NFL Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 114 | 11th |
| 2019 | 100 | 29th |
| 2020 | 137 | 4th |
| 2021 | 153 | 4th |
| 2022 | 150 | 3rd |
| 2023 | 148 | 5th |
| 2024 | 145 | 3rd |
| 2025 | 128 | 15th |
Why it matters. Top-5 tackle rankings measure sustained dominance in the LB's primary role — run-stopping and sideline-to-sideline pursuit. Five such seasons while staying healthy marks Smith as a generational run-defense anchor.
His BAL era (2023–25) outperforms his CHI era (2018–21) on both tackles per game (9.0 vs 8.3) and pass breakups per game (0.32 vs 0.28).
SplitSmith CHI (2018–21) vs BAL (2023–25) per-game production
| Era | Games | Tackles/G | Pass Def/G |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHI 2018–21 | 61 | 8.3 | 0.28 |
| BAL 2023–25 | 47 | 9.0 | 0.32 |
Why it matters. Dual improvement in both tackle volume and coverage involvement after a mid-season trade is unusual — most players see one metric decline when the other rises, reflecting role specialization. Smith's simultaneous gains suggest elite two-way LB skills.
Eight straight seasons with 100+ regular-season tackles — matching Kuechly and Wagner, the only three off-ball LBs to do it in the modern era.
Comparison100+ tackle seasons in first 8 years (off-ball LBs, 2012+)
| Player | Entry Year | Seasons w/ 100+ | Consecutive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Luke Kuechly | 2012 | 8 of 8 | Yes (retired 2019) |
| Bobby Wagner | 2012 | 7 of 8 | No (97 in 2014, 11 g) |
| Roquan Smith | 2018 | 8 of 8 | Yes (still active) |
Why it matters. Sustaining 100+ tackles every season while staying healthy reflects both physical durability and consistent defensive responsibility — coaches who trust a LB to play full-time in base and nickel packages. Missing this bar usually signals injury or scheme relegation.
His tackles-for-loss fell from 12.3/season at Chicago to 4.7/season at Baltimore — even as his total tackles rose.
AnomalySmith disruptive plays: CHI (2018–21) vs BAL (2023–25)
| Era | Avg Tackles/Yr | Avg TFL/Yr | Avg PD/Yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| CHI 2018–21 | 126.0 | 12.3 | 4.3 |
| BAL 2023–25 | 140.3 | 4.7 | 5.0 |
Why it matters. The TFL drop reveals a scheme philosophy divide — Chicago used Smith as an aggressive run blitzer who attacked gaps, while Baltimore employs him as a block-shedding zone anchor who fills running lanes rather than penetrating them. Understanding this split changes how you evaluate his peak vs his current role.
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