The Chicago Bears and linebacker Roquan Smith have remained locked in a contract standoff since training camp began. Thus far, no movement has happened, and Smith is getting impatient. According to Ian Rapoport, the linebacker has officially requested a trade from the organization. His wish is to go to an organization that properly values his skills. He apparently thinks new GM Ryan Poles and his regime are trying to take advantage of him.
This isn’t a huge surprise. Smith is operating based on a classic NFL playbook. After staging a holdout, the next step is publicly requesting a trade to pressure the organization. Other players have done it this off-season, including wide receiver Deebo Samuel. He is hoping the public outcry from Bears fans will lead to the result he wants. Either he gets the lucrative contract he wants from them or he’s dealt to another team that will give it to him.
#Bears All-Pro LB Roquan Smith has requested a trade. pic.twitter.com/x4vmOMhROt
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022
Among the frustrations detailed:
— Roquan Smith has lost trust by what he believes are their attempts to take advantage of him.
— He feels this entire process hasn’t been a negotiation, just the Bears trying to strong-arm him with a take-it or leave-it deal https://t.co/E3tqyU6eAe— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022
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More frustrations:
— The backloaded offer, which wouldn’t make him the highest paid in actual salary, included proposed de-escalators that not a single player out of the 94 non-QB, $15M+ contracts has. He was offended.
— The deal would hurt the LB market as a whole. https://t.co/E3tqyU6eAe— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022
Roquan Smith created part of this situation himself.
That was when he decided not to let an agent handle negotiations. He’s taken on that role personally. This can often lead to a player taking things personally whenever a team plays hardball. Smith is reportedly getting advice from a family member rather than an experienced professional. He has a certain dollar amount in mind and isn’t willing to move off it. People continue to blame Poles for this mess even though the linebacker should’ve been extended before the end of last season.
In reality, Roquan Smith doesn’t have much leverage in this situation. Chicago holds his rights for this year and has the franchise tag in their back pocket for 2023 if they wish to use it. Poles doesn’t seem like the kind of GM that will cave to public pressure. It’s Smith’s own fault for taking this personally. It is a business. Poles’ job is to get the best possible deal for the Bears.
They have no control over whether the linebacker takes this too personally. As for the trade idea, it is hard to know what he’d fetch. He is undoubtedly one of the four or five best off-the-ball linebackers in the league and in his prime. The closest example came in 2016 when the New England Patriots shipped Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins to Cleveland for a 3rd round pick. Smith would likely fetch more, but it doesn’t paint an ideal picture for the Bears. Their best course of action is to get him back to the negotiating table.
