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Roquan Smith had a tumultuous exit from the Chicago Bears last season. Amidst contract extension negotiations ahead of the season, he released a statement via Ian Rapoport of NFL Network that read, in part:
"I wanted to be a Bear for my entire career, help this team bring a Super Bowl back to our city. However, they have left me no choice than to request a trade that allows me to play for an organization that truly values what I bring to the table."
Check out Roquan Smith's full trade request below:
While Smith returned to the team, he ended contract negotiations with the goal of forcing Chicago's hand. Eight games into the season, the Bears complied with the request, sending Smith to the Baltimore Ravens for A.J. Klein and a 2023 second-round pick and fifth-round pick.
Following the season, Smith, who does not have an agent, negotiated for himself. He signed a five-year, $100 million contract extension with $45 million fully guaranteed and $60 million in total guarantees to become the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL.
What did Roquan Smith say about the Chicago Bears?
Roquan Smith spent the first four and a half seasons of his career with the Chicago Bears after they made him the eighth overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. He recently shared that he is happy after being traded, stating:
"Man, it’s pretty crazy thinking back to when I was initially traded. It was bittersweet for me, just knowing Chicago and rightfully so. But if I would’ve stayed there, honestly, [I] wouldn’t have been able to compete for a title anytime soon. And then when I came over here, it took me a while, like a couple of weeks, to really realize how stacked this team was, as well as how many good people there are on this team, and how they just bring in truly good people."
Smith added:
"When I just think about it from the perspective of having the opportunity to compete for one year in and year out with the talent we have. Man, it makes me so happy, just knowing my career is not going down the drain, in the sense of playing somewhere where I’m not truly competing for a title."
Many believed that Roquan Smith's comments were taking a shot at the Bears. However, it is hard to argue with the notion that they are not close to Super Bowl contention. Chicago finished with the worst record in the NFL at 3-14 last season and is just 2-7 in the league once again.
