Ray Lewis to Help Ravens LB Roquan Smith be 'Freaking Phenomenal'

Ray Lewis says Roquan Smith can show the same leadership qualities he brought to the Baltimore Ravens' Super Bowl-winning defense in 2000.

During Ray Lewis' time in the NFL, he brought the linebacker position to another level with both his play on the field and his leadership qualities.

And now Lewis, 10 years into retirement, thinks he can still help the Ravens' defense by making current linebacker and recent trade acquisition Roquan Smith better.

“Roquan, if he takes his game and takes just one more step up, I just think he can be freaking phenomenal,” Lewis said. “Now when I’m watching him I’m saying, How can I help him get better? That’s why I think this offseason we’re really going to sit down and go through film, so I can teach him those little things.”

Lewis says Smith can show the same leadership qualities he brought to the Ravens' Super Bowl-winning defense in 2000.

“That takes a leader to take ownership of it, so that when you step on the field you don’t need a coach. You guys become the coach. That’s what Roquan has the ability to do,” Lewis said.

Lewis registered 2,059 tackles in 228 games with the Ravens from 1996-2012. He added 41.5 sacks, 40 quarterback hits, and 20 fumble recoveries while re-defining the position of linebacker with a fierce intensity that had not been seen in the league since Lawrence Taylor.

Smith arrived in Baltimore via trade after three and a half seasons with the Bears and made an immediate impact on the defense.

That earned Smith, who earned his first career Pro Bowl nod this season, a five-year, $100 million contract extension in January. The deal makes Smith the highest-paid player at his position in NFL history and includes $60 million in total guarantees.

It would be silly to think that anyone other than Ray Lewis can be Ray Lewis, but he thinks Smith can be elite in Baltimore. 

And that's something the Ravens desperately need.

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