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Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith is not happy with his team. He requested a trade after contract talks reached an impasse. Insisting on representing himself as he moves into the fifth year of his deal, Smith now appears to have a friend calling other NFL teams.
Reportedly, Smith's friend is attempting to drum up interest in trading for the linebacker. The problem is that since the Bears didn’t give Roquan Smith permission to seek a trade, he’s setting up franchises for tampering.
Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio expanded on the situation in a recent article. He mentioned that Smith's friend isn't an NFLPA-certified agent, and as such, can't represent him. He also noted that if a franchise does show interest, they could be subjected to punishment from the NFL.
This comes just weeks after the Miami Dolphins were penalized for tampering. As a result, they lost a first-round pick in next year's draft and a third-round pick in 2024. Owner Stephen Ross is now suspended from all franchise events until October and was also fined $1.5 million. In reality, Smith's friend is doing more harm than good to the linebacker's cause.
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The Chicago Bears need young talent like Roquan Smith in the upcoming season
Roquan Smith’s unhappiness with the Bears could be about more than his contract dispute. The team has been mired in mediocrity for several seasons now. The move could be a bid for the young linebacker to get out of town and join a potential Super Bowl contender, instead of wasting his prime years in a perpetual losing situation.
Of course, there’s also a chance that Eberflus could turn the Bears around and bring a winning season to Chicago. They have a young, talented quarterback in Justin Fields. Even if they can’t turn things around this season, the future could be bright with the right players in place. Roquan Smith is one such player.
With a defensive-minded head coach like Matt Eberflus at the helm, Smith could be the centerpiece of the Bears’ defense. Much the way Darius Leonard has been for the Indianapolis Colts, a defense that thrived under Eberflus’ direction.
Much greater are the consequences of anger than its causes. Though Smith is disappointed with the current situation, the strategy he has adopted might prove ill advised. It will be interesting to see if it pays off, with the season kicking off next month.
