Ravens All-Pro LB Roquan Smith (hamstring) out vs. Chargers

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  • Jamison Hensley, ESPN staff writerNov 25 2024, 1:15 PM ET

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      Jamison Hensley is a reporter covering the Baltimore Ravens for ESPN. Jamison joined ESPN in 2011 and covered the AFC North before focusing solely on the Ravens beginning in 2013. Jamison won the National Sports Media Association Maryland Sportswriter of the Year award in 2018 and authored a book titled: Flying High: Stories of the Baltimore Ravens. He was Raven’s beat writer for the Baltimore Sun from 2000-2011.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The Baltimore Ravens will be without the NFL’s leading tackler when they play at the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday night.

Pro Bowl middle linebacker Roquan Smith is inactive with a hamstring injury. This is Smith’s first time out with an injury since he was with the Chicago Bears at the end of the 2019 season, when he finished the season on injured reserve with a torn pectoral muscle.

Smith left the first play of the fourth quarter of an 18–16 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers on November 17 and did not return. He did not practice all week and had been listed as questionable for Monday’s game.

Ravens defensive coordinator Zach Orr said last week that the team would replace Smith with picks, which could mean Malik Harrison starting and rotating with Chris Board.

“Not one person is going to replace Roquan,” Orr said last week. “Roquan is an all-around linebacker (and) a top linebacker in this league (and) All-Pro for a reason. We like our guys that we have in the room. They had to step up and we had to step up collectively as a defense and that linebacker room (has to) step up collectively as a group.”

Smith, 27, is tied with the Indianapolis Colts’ Zaire Franklin for the league lead in tackles with 110. The Ravens’ defense has struggled this season, ranking 26th in total yards (362.0) and 23rd in points allowed (24.6 ).

The only time Smith had missed a game for Baltimore was the 2023 regular-season finale, when the Ravens benched him after winning the No. 1 seed in the AFC.