Roquan Smith is entering a contract year with the Chicago Bears, where the young linebacker is gearing up for a massive payday.
Smith has been one of the NFL’s best linebackers, and he’s coming off another impressive outing in 2021. Last season, Smith totaled 163 tackles (4th in NFL), 12 tackles-for-loss (4th among linebackers), 27 pass tackle stops (1st), had a 3.6 missed tackle percentage (2nd) and a 76.8 passer rating allowed (7th for LBs).
When asked last month about a contract extension with Chicago, Smith made it clear that he envisions himself with the Bears for the long haul.
“Absolutely, yeah,” Smith said. “That’s my plan.”
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, contract talks between Smith and the Bears are expected “to heat up some time this summer.” The belief is Smith, who Fowler notes should push $20 million annually, is the top priority for general manager Ryan Poles.
Expect talks between the Bears and Smith to heat up some time this summer. Even other Bears players close to free agency believe Smith is the priority for Chicago and new GM Ryan Poles. Smith has worked his way into top-10 linebacker status thanks to versatility and production. He has compiled 14 sacks, 17 pass deflections and five interceptions on his way to back-to-back second-team All-Pro nods.
With the top of the linebacker market approaching $20 million annually, Smith should push that number. He doesn’t have an agent and will essentially negotiate on his own behalf, but he showed up to offseason workouts as a sign of good faith.
Earlier this offseason, Poles expressed a desire to get an extension done before the start of the regular season, but there’s no real timeline in place.
“I don’t know if that’s how we’re going to handle it, but I would like to,” Poles said. “Obviously the earlier you get to that, the better. But also with a new staff, we may wait a little bit, too.”
Still, it’s clear that Smith remains a top priority for the Bears moving forward and a new deal will likely be in place before the Sept. 11 opener.
