Would they dare? A Chicago Bears trade Roquan Smith idea sounds ludicrous at first thought. This team viewed the Georgia linebacker as a fixture in their defense for years to come. He has a chance to become a star. Is it really getting to a point where they might choose to wash their hands of this ugly contract situation and move on?
It’s easy to say absolutely not. The thing is that’s not entirely true. NFL history has a number of examples where players drafted high by teams ended up never playing a down for them and were traded not long after to another team. This is not something that would be totally unprecedented. Rare? Absolutely, but not impossible.
Just look at the situation as it stands. Smith hasn’t even sniffed a football field for a month now. His agents continue to hold their ground on his rookie contract, trying to get guaranteed protections for him from the Bears. Protections that are given to few players in general. GM Ryan Pace has tried to meet them halfway but it’s clear he’s getting nowhere.
As the days go on with no movement from either side, fans have grown frustrated. Many are already fed up with the constant distraction. If he doesn’t want to be a Bear, then ship him out and find guys who do. So what exactly could happen if the team were to take such an unprecedented step?
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Success or failure of a Bears trade Roquan Smith centers on knowing what they have
If the Bears are going to come out ahead in such a trade, there’s one thing they must come to terms with before anything. Do they truly understand what they’re giving up? Too often in situations like this, the trading team surrenders the asset for what looks like a fair package only to realize later they basically had their lunch money stolen.
A few examples of that rest among the most noteworthy trades in history.
John Elway to the Denver Broncos (1983)
In 1983, Stanford star quarterback John Elway knew he’d be taken #1 overall in the draft. The problem was the team holding that pick, the Baltimore Colts, were known at the time as one of the worst-run organizations in football. That instability did not sit well with him so he declared that he would not play for the Colts if they drafted him and instead would play professional baseball.
Colts return: OL Chris Hinton, QB Mark Hermann, 1st RD pick (1984)
Indianapolis GM Ernie Accorsi had initially demanded three first rounders and two second rounders for the rights to Elway. However, team owner Robert Irsay soon intervened and facilitated a deal with Denver. While the Colts did get seven-time Pro Bowler Chris Hinton in the deal, the rest of it was a wash. Meanwhile, Elway went on to greatness with the Broncos that included a Hall of Fame bust and two Super Bowl titles.
Cornelius Bennett to the Buffalo Bills (1987)
Alabama linebacker Cornelius Bennett came into the league during a period of strife between the players union and the NFL. A strike occurred that season, so things were in flux. Bennett added to the mess for the Indianapolis Colts by demanding more money upon being drafted in the first round. For 102 days the organization refused to budge and Bennett refused to report.
Colts return: RB Eric Dickerson
Once again Irsay refused to bow to the player. He gave the green light to his coaching staff to pursue a blockbuster trade involving the Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams. Indianapolis sent three high draft choices (two 1s and a 2) to the Rams and Bennett to the Bills. In exchange, they received All-Pro running back Eric Dickerson. In the short term, the move paid off. The Colts made the playoffs for the first time in 10 years.
Dickerson ran for over 1,000 yards in just nine games after he arrived that year and would reach two Pro Bowls in 1988 and 1989. Bennett though would have the better long-term impact, reaching five Pro Bowls and helping Buffalo to four-straight Super Bowl appearances.
Safe to say neither of those teams ended up getting what they wanted out of those trades. One team that did was the San Diego Chargers. In 2004 they were hoping to take Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning #1 overall. Manning, like Elway years before, did not trust their organization to commit to building a winner and declared he wouldn’t sign there if drafted.
So the Chargers had to make something happen.
Eli Manning to the New York Giants (2004)
Ironically enough it was Accorsi, the former Colts GM who was forced to give up Elway who pounced on the change to get Manning. The Chargers though weren’t going to be as cheap as the Irsay was. Their demands were high and they seemed ready and willing to let things play out if they didn’t get an offer they liked. So Accorsi was forced to be aggressive.
Chargers return: QB Philip Rivers, 1st RD pick (2005), 3rd RD pick (2004), 5th RD pick (2005)
A key part of the trade was the Giants taking a leap of faith by drafting quarterback Philip Rivers out of N.C. State. San Diego coaches liked him and felt he could be their guy of the future. In addition, the Giants had to give up another first rounder and two mid round picks. That’s a hefty price tag. In the end though, it worked out for both teams.
Manning helped the Giants win two Super Bowls in 2007 and 2011. Rivers became the all-time leading passer in Chargers history while the extra first rounder produced three-time Pro Bowl pass rusher, Shawn Merriman.
Now Roquan Smith is not at the same value level as a potential franchise quarterback. This is merely an explanation of how careful the Bears must be if the worst-case scenario did arrive and they were compelled to deal him. Will it happen? The odds are stacked against it. That said there’s something that put this situation up against the clock.
August 7th will be the deadline for the Bears to consider a Smith trade
It turns out the NFL has contingency plans for such things. August 7th is set as the deadline date for teams to trade the rights of any player they drafted. If they fail to do so, then they hold the rights to that player until the day of the draft the following season. In other words, Smith would be eligible to re-enter the draft. Thus the Bears would get nothing for that #8 overall pick they just spent.
Long though the odds may be, the next 48 hours could prove fascinating if no ground is gained in these contract talks.
