After standout linebacker Roquan Smith requested a trade from the Chicago Bears, new general manager Ryan Poles made sure that his thoughts on the player, and the situation, were made clear.
As it stands, Poles wants to make sure that Smith is a member of the Chicago defense:
“Right now, my intentions are to make sure Roquan is on this team.” — GM Ryan Poles. https://t.co/E3tqyU6eAe
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022
Poles elaborated on his position, highlighting the “record-setting” pieces for the proposed contract:
Ryan Poles: “There are record-setting pieces for this contract that I thought would show (Roquan Smith) the respect that he deserves, and obviously that hasn’t been the case. … We’re doing everything we can to get this done.”
— Chris Emma (@CEmma670) August 9, 2022
Smith has been “holding in” at Bears camp, as he looks for a new contract from the team. The linebacker is in the final year of his rookie season, with the Bears having exercised the fifth year of his deal. In the above statement released by the linebacker, Smith references the long list of standout defenders in Chicago history. “Walking these hallways the past four years, you can feel the spirit, you feel the pressure to live up to that timeless history, that great legacy. I dreamed of playing like Wilbur Marshall, Singletary, Briggs, Urlacher, Butkus!”
Over his four years in Chicago, Smith has tallied 524 total tackles, along with 14 sacks and five interceptions. He started every game for the Bears the past two seasons, and last year set a career-high mark with 163 total tackles. And, not that it likely matters much, but Smith was named one of the league’s top off-ball linebackers in a survey of league executives, coaches, and players. He also was well inside Touchdown Wire’s list of the top linebackers in the NFL today.
