The Baltimore Ravens have decided to release veteran linebacker Daryl Smith, according to an ESPN.com report. Smith led the Ravens in tackles last year, but at 33-years-old, he appears to be on the downside of his career.

Smith played over 1,000 snaps last year, registering a season grade of 46.9 from Pro Football Focus; good for 71st overall at the position. He finished the season with 121 total tackles, including three sacks and an INT.

The Bears are looking for more natural fits at linebacker for the hybrid 3-4 scheme inserted by defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. The coaching staff went through several different starting combinations throughout the 2015 season, but the results were less than average all year long.

Danny Trevathan is considered the best inside linebacker on the free agent market. He is going to command top dollar and is likely to be the Chicago Bears’ top free agent target.

Former first-round pick Shea McClellin is an unrestricted free agent and his future with the team will be decided over the next couple of weeks. Should he fail to re-sign, the Bears will have to address depth at the position with a series of one-year deals to veterans like Smith. It’s highly unlikely that the former Jaguar and Raven linebacker will receive a long-term deal; he’d be a great bridge-the-gap player for coach Fox while he continues to draft and mold current and future Bears to play his way.