The Chicago Bears were dealt a pretty significant blow this morning when it was announced that star linebacker Roquan Smith had formally requested a trade out of Chicago. Smith had been holding-in at Chicago's training camp over the past few weeks in hopes of getting a new contract extension, but it appears those discussions haven't gone anywhere.

Now the Bears must come to terms with the fact that they may be forced to trade away their best defensive player. Smith posted a lengthy message detailing the reasoning of his trade request on social media, and it doesn't sound like Chicago is close to handing him an extension that will convince him to commit his long-term future to the Bears.

But Chicago desperately needs to reach an extension with Smith. Without him, their defense would crumble, and they cannot afford to let a player of his caliber leave over a contract dispute. Here are three key reasons the Bears need to open up their wallets and pay Smith before it is too late.

3 reasons the Chicago Bears need to extend Roquan Smith

3. The Bears don't have a suitable replacement

It would be one thing if the Bears had somebody behind Smith who they could easily slot in as a replacement for him, but they don't. Smith's production alone would make it tough to replace him from the get go, but even then, Chicago doesn't have a ton of linebacker help behind Smith to begin with.

Alongside Smith at linebacker for the Bears is Nicholas Morrow and Matthew Adams. Morrow missed the entire 2021 season with the Las Vegas Raiders, and Adams played one snap on defense last season with the Indianapolis Colts. Taking Smith out of the equation would be a massive loss for the Bears.

Even then, if Smith is gone, the Bears would have to hand Caleb Johnson a starting role. Johnson signed as an undrafted free agent last year, and had only eight total tackles last season. He's not ready for a starting role. The Bears already have a limited linebacker corps, and when you take Smith out of the equation, it completely falls apart.

2. Roquan Smith is still just 25 years old

Smith has already proven himself to be one of the best linebackers in the game, despite playing only four seasons so far. If he were an aging veteran who appears likely to hit a wall soon, then maybe it doesn't make sense to extend Smith. But Smith is only 25 years old, and probably hasn't even reached his peak yet.

Smith is the type of player you can build a defense around. For a team that traded away another stalwart on defense in Khalil Mack this offseason, it doesn't make a ton of sense as to why they would want to risk losing Smith. He should be the guy leading the next great Bears defense, not another team's defense.

Long-term extensions in the NFL can be daunting because of the tight salary cap constraints, but extending Smith to a new deal is just good business. He may command a deal that resets the linebacker market, but he's worthy of that deal. He's in the same class as Shaquille Leonard and Fred Warner, who are both young linebackers that are building blocks for their respective teams' defenses. They are the two highest paid linebackers in the game, and it's clear Smith deserves to join that short list with them.

1. Roquan Smith is one of the best linebackers in the game

It goes without saying that Smith is one of the best linebackers in the game right now, and again, he's only 25 years old. There isn't much Smith can't do on the football field. Just look at his stats from the 2021 season, in which he had 163 tackles (12 of which were for a loss), three sacks, three passes defended, an interception and a touchdown. Smith fills multiple roles on a Bears defense that is going to need a lot of help in 2022.

Smith is the perfect linebacker to build a defense around. He's had at least 100 tackles in each of his four NFL seasons, including in 2019 when he missed four games. He can hold up in coverage against tight ends and running backs, and he can blitz the quarterback when called upon as well. Even though he's set to make $9.735 million this season, he's still criminally underpaid.

Chicago doesn't seem to realize how lucky they are to have a player of Smith's caliber. Anytime you have a do-it all linebacker at the center of your defense, you do what you can to lock him up for the foreseeable future. But now the Bears are playing with fire, and they may risk losing him for less than he's worth now that he has publicly requested a trade. Chicago would be wise to mend fences with Roquan Smith and figure out a way to get a new deal done before this situation escalates any further.