The big news in the NFL on Tuesday has been Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith requesting a trade after failing to secure a contract extension with the team. While Smith does want out though, he's still showing up for his teammates.
Roquan Smith is on the sideline at Soldier Field.
— Kevin Fishbain (@kfishbain) August 9, 2022
Roquan Smith could've easily not shown up to camp at all on Tuesday after his request, but he decided to be there for the Bears. That shows a sense of professionalism. In his statement, Smith voiced his love for this organization and said he did want to play for Chicago for the rest of his career. Smith also hasn't talked to ownership yet and did note it's possible the McCaskey can “still salvage this”.
#Bears All-Pro LB Roquan Smith has requested a trade. pic.twitter.com/x4vmOMhROt
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 9, 2022
Just because Smith asked for a trade, doesn't mean it'll happen. Remember, Deebo Samuel did the exact same thing this offseason but was then awarded a new contract with the San Francisco 49ers. That's definitely a possibility here too because Smith is very valuable to the Bears defense. Kareem Hunt is also in a similar situation with the Browns. Players tend to do this pretty often nowadays to get their way and secure the bag.
The All-Pro finished with 163 total tackles last season and 12 tackles for loss while also collecting three sacks. That was arguably his best campaign yet. There's no doubt Roquan Smith deserves a hefty extension. The Bears do not want to lose a player of his caliber. They need to fix this situation ASAP because the defense clearly needs all the help possible.
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