The Chicago Bears and linebacker Roquan Smith remain deadlocked in contract negotiations with no end in sight.
With the regular season less than one month away, it certainly feels like we’re getting close to some kind of resolution. Whether that involves an actual contract extension or Smith playing out his rookie deal.
Both sides have argued their ground. Smith said he didn’t receive a fair deal that he could accept and one that would hurt the linebacker market. General manager Ryan Poles said they offered Smith “record-setting pieces” that they felt showed they respect him.
Ultimately, it comes down to the money. And Smith hasn’t gotten a deal that he feels he deserves, which is likely in the $20 million per year range.
Someone who’s standing on Smith’s side is former Bears running back Matt Forte, who understand why Smith is trying to use his leverage in negotiations.
“I respect him standing his ground and being like, ‘Look, I need to get paid,’ because you can get hurt any day,” Forte told 670 the Score. “And if you get hurt and they cut you, then they just release you and be like, ‘Well, you’re injured. You’re not the same guy anymore.’ So, you have to use your leverage as a player.”
Like many Bears fans, Forte hopes the two sides figure out a way to get a new deal done. Poles previously said his intentions are to sign Smith.
“With Roquan and the Bears, I hope they work it out because he’s been a solid and consistent player for them, and that’s what you look for on a team,” Forte said.
The Bears have often been referred to as a “cheap” organization, including the time Hall of Famer Mike Ditka said Bears founder George Halas “throws around nickels like manhole covers.” It’s definitely something Forte believes.
“The Bears, they are definitely cheap, and they give guys a hard time,” Forte said. “I don’t know, they pay a lot of guys who don’t deserve the money and sometimes the guys who do deserve it, they don’t pay them.”
