Remember how I said not too long ago that the further this holdout goes over the Roquan Smith contract situation, the more fans would start to turn against him? Well, it would seem the pivot point may have arrived. The #8 overall pick still has shown zero signs of being ready to join his team at training camp. He’s already a no-go for the Hall of Fame game and could likely miss the first preseason game a week later too.
People are getting frustrated. Every other draft pick is signed. Are the Bears really fighting him this hard over an unwillingness to stay away from the guarantees in his contract over a possible suspension due to the new NFL helmet rule? If the new information that just came out has truth to it, then the answer just went from yes to no.
According to David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune, the standoff on the helmet rule is already resolved and was before it became public knowledge. Instead the holdup has shifted to another issue, one that puts the onus less on the Bears and more on Smith’s agents. It’s clear they’re trying to back the team into a corner, seeing how much they can get since they got this latest concession.
GM Ryan Pace and the top brass have continued to hold their ground.
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Roquan Smith contract dispute now over protection from off-field incidents
“In an effort to end the contract impasse with first-round draft pick Roquan Smith, the Bears conceded they won’t go after his guaranteed money if the linebacker gets suspended under the NFL’s new rule legislating helmet contact, the Tribune has learned.
The Bears made this concession even before the recent public disclosure of the major sticking point, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. They are one of eight NFL teams willing to include contract language protecting a first-rounder’s guaranteed money if he’s suspended for an illegal hit, a source said.
But Smith remains away from training camp because his representatives at CAA Football have insisted the Bears go even further and include contract language protecting the player from discipline for behavior outside the realm of a football play. The Bears’ reluctance to do so revolves around their fear of setting a precedent for future contracts and has nothing to do with concerns about Smith’s character, the source said.”
In essence, the Bears aren’t willing to open a Pandora’s box where players no longer have to fear being punished financially for possible incidents they may suffer off the field. Given how big of an issue this has become in recent years with lots of young players finding themselves in trouble with the law, this would mean the Bears still have to pay him his guarantees even if he were to somehow get in such trouble.
This is not a common thing handed out to rookie players.
Only four other teams in the league have conceded to do so. The Bears don’t seem willing to be the fifth, even as their desire to have Smith in camp increases. It’s a battle of wills right now. Pace has some leverage. Danny Trevathan is back at practice and Nick Kwiatkoski has had the best camp by far of his career. Those two look like they could form a more than adequate pairing at inside linebacker.
This decreases the pressure on Pace to make the deal happen. Conversely, Smith is reaching a point where he’s going to start losing money in the form of game checks. One would have to imagine this will be more detrimental to his financial status than a guarantee protection over something that’s unlikely to happen given his glowing character background.
Is the 21-year old kid actually the one orchestrating this or is he adhering to the advice of his agents? There’s no definitive answer. All anybody knows for sure is each passing day he’s gone isn’t going to help him in his push for a starting job.
