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Ravens inside linebacker Roquan Smith on Wednesday was named the team’s 2022 Most Valuable Player, an award voted on by local media who cover the team.
The honor was announced just hours after the team finalized its contract extension with Smith, 25, whose five-year deal is worth a reported $100 million.
Smith’s midseason arrival in Baltimore helped spur a defensive turnaround. The Ravens ranked 15th in adjusted efficiency before he arrived in Week 9, according to Football Outsiders, and third afterward. Smith, who finished the regular season with the third-most tackles in the NFL (169) and was voted to his first Pro Bowl, has 86 tackles, two sacks and one interception in nine games with the Ravens.
“Since he’s been here, Roquan has been a leader on and off the field, impressing us with his attitude and desire to be great player and teammate every day,” general manager Eric DeCosta, who traded away a second- and fifth- round pick to acquire Smith, said in a statement announcing his signing. “There is certainly a standard of defense in Baltimore, and Roquan has proven that he can surpass that lofty mark.”
Inside linebacker Patrick Queen was honored as the team’s media “Good Guy” for his assistance in accommodating reporters and providing insights throughout the season.
jonas.shaffer@thebaltimorebanner.com
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Jonas Shaffer is a Ravens beat writer for The Baltimore Banner. He previously covered the Ravens for The Baltimore Sun. Shaffer graduated from the University of Maryland and grew up in Silver Spring.
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