Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith has reportedly asked the team to be traded. He cited the fact that he believes the Bears organization does not value his merit and what he does for the team. According to NFL Network Insider via 670 The Score's Danny Perkins, Smith is looking to set the market for linebackers with his next contract.

Smith is reportedly asking to be paid more than Indianapolis Colts linebacker Darius Leonard. Those are certainly lofty goals. Leonard and Smith have each been in the NFL for four years. Leonard won Defensive Rookie of the Year, is a three-time Pro Bowler and earned All-Pro First Team honors three times.

Roquan Smith had a rather pedestrian first two seasons in the NFL. He stepped on the gas the last two years, earning All-Pro Second Team honors each season. Smith racked up 302 tackles those seasons.

But part of what makes a great defender great is their ability to take the ball away. Leonard has 17 forced fumbles in his four years, to go along with 11 interceptions and 15 sacks. Meanwhile, Smith has one forced fumble and five interceptions. That's not to say that Smith is not an elite linebacker, he certainly is.

But it is Smith's belief that the most recent great player sets the market at a given position. That is his reasoning for expecting to be paid more than Leonard. He stepped up his game more recently than Leonard. But that's only because the Colts linebacker has balled out since his rookie year and Smith did not.

Bears GM Ryan Poles made it known that Chicago has every intention of bringing Smith back for the 2022 season.