Ryan Pace and the Chicago Bears front office are notorious for taking their time in contract negotiations. Then again he’s also known for playing hardball from time to time. It’s hard to decide which might be happening at the present moment. Most of the Bears draft class is officially under contract going into training camp. The only one who isn’t is their most notable pick: Roquan Smith.
The #8 overall selection has worked with the team throughout minicamps and OTAs. However, as rookies report for training camp today the inside linebacker was not with them according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. This is due to the ongoing deadlock surrounding his contract. What exactly the holdup is remains a mystery.
#Bears first-round LB Roquan Smith is not with the team as the rookies report for training camp today, sources say. It’s not officially a holdout until the veterans are due on July 19, but Smith doesn’t have a deal yet. So he’s staying away until it happens.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 16, 2018
There are still three days to go before the veterans report. That should be enough time for Pace to avoid this situation from developing into a full-fledged contract holdout. The last thing the Bears need with so much optimism going into 2018 is their top draft choice missing critical camp practices over what should be a standard procedure rookie deal.
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So what could be the problem with Roquan Smith?
The last notable first round pick to stage a holdout was star Los Angeles Chargers pass rusher Joey Bosa. Reports from his camp indicated the standoff with management had to do with whether or not offset language would be part of his deal. Though a bit complicated, here’s an explanation for what exactly that is.
“The contracts at the top of the draft are fully guaranteed. With offset language, a team that cuts a player taken at the top of the draft within the four years of his contract receives a dollar-for-dollar credit if/when he lands with a new team. With no offset language, the player gets to double dip, keeping the money he gets under his rookie contract and pocketing whatever he makes elsewhere.”
It’s quite possible that Smith’s agent is fighting the Bears for not having any offset language in the contract. This way were Smith to land with another team a few years down the road he’d be able to keep all the money he makes rather than the Bears getting credit back for whatever he earns. It sounds like a somewhat foolish issue to battle over but these men take it seriously.
NFL players have little guarantee that their careers will last a long time, no matter how talented they might be. So every penny they make in their early years matters. Smith could be fighting to ensure he reaches some sort of agreement that gives him maximum long-term security.
