Though he never left, Roquan Smith is back.
That’s the way it seemed this week at Halas Hall, after Smith re-emerged as a defensive force with potential for stardom in the Bears’ 17-16 loss to the Chargers last week at Soldier Field.
Following two languid performances in which he looked mysteriously mellow against the Raiders and Saints after being a last-minute scratch against the Vikings on Sept. 29 for personal reasons, Smith looked more like the energetic, instinctive player the Bears need him to be. He had five tackles, but four of them were for two yards or less and three of them were for no gain.