The Chicago Bears have a lot of drama on their plate heading into their 2022 training camp. After an offseason of turnover, a pair of their star defensive players, Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith, have been rumored to be contemplating holding out of training camp.
While Quinn has simply been the subject of trade rumors, Smith has been unhappy with his contract, and wants a new deal. News broke yesterday that Smith has decided to report for training camp, but he was ultimately not going to practice, living up to reports that he indeed was going to hold out if he didn't have a new deal from Chicago.
The Bears made a somewhat puzzling move this morning by placing Smith on their Physically Unable to Perform list. This was confusing because, for all intents and purposes, Smith isn't injured. But the move appears to be one of good faith from the Bears, as it will prevent Smith from getting fined while he stages his hold out.
While being subject to a holdout from Smith obviously is less than ideal, this is a good move by the Bears front office. It shows Smith that they do indeed care about him by not subjecting him to fines for missing practices.
Based off that logic, it would make sense to assume that the Bears are looking to to solve Smith's contract squabble, and get him back on the field as soon as possible. After all, the tackling-machine that Smith is is a crucial piece to the Bears defensive gameplan. Having him back on the field is crucial, and by helping Smith avoid fines during his holdout, Chicago has taken a big first step in resolving his contract dispute.