Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles plans to continue to work for a contract extension with linebacker Roquan Smith instead of his request to be traded.
Smith, who is under contract through the 2022 season, is staging a āhold-inā and attending practices without actually practicing until he gets an extension, but Tuesday he made public an official request for a trade.
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āRight now my intentions are to sign Roquan to this team,ā Poles said after the Bears held a Tuesday practice at Soldier Field. āAnd weāre going to take it day by day. At the end of the day weāve got to do whatās best for this organization. But my intentions are to make sure Roquan Smith's on this team.ā
Smith practiced with the team throughout the offseason voluntary and mandatory work, but was not participating on the field when training camp began.
āUnfortunately the new front office regime doesnāt value me here,ā Smith wrote on Twitter. āTheyāve refused to negotiate in good faith, every step of the journey has been ātake it or leave it.ā
āThe deal sent to me is one that would be bad for myself and for the entire LB market if I signed it.'ā
Smith does not have an agent and is trying to negotiate for himself.
āIāve been trying to get something done thatās fair since April, but their focus has been on trying to take advantage of me.ā
Smith, the No. 8 overall draft pick in 2018, was second-team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021. He is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract.
The Bears made big changes after going 6-11 last season and missing the playoffs for the ninth time in 11 years. They fired general manager Ryan Pace and coach Matt Nagy and replaced them with Poles and Matt Eberflus.
The Bears plan to use Smith as a weakside linebacker in their new 4-3 scheme.
āIāll double down on what Iāve said before: My feelings for Roquan havenāt changed at all,ā Poles said. āI think heās a very good football player. I love the kid. I love what heās done on the field, which makes me really disappointed with where weāre at right now.
āI thought weād be in a better situation, to be completely honest with you.ā
Smith said he hasnāt talked to team ownership. He left the door ajar for the McCaskey family to āsalvage this.ā
āBut as of right now, I donāt see a path back to the organization I truly love,ā he wrote.
Smith was on the sideline at the teamās Soldier Field practice Tuesday.
Poles said the fact Smith does not have an agent makes a deal tougher to achieve.
āItās difficult,ā Poles said. āThereās emotions involved and itās tough. Itās a very unique situation that weāve had to deal with and I thought weāve done a pretty good job, which again thatās why Iām a little disappointed weāre at this spot.ā
The Bears continue working at practice with Matthew Adams as the weakside linebacker. Eberflus said he speaks almost daily with Smith despite his āhold-inā status.
āThereās few things that surprise you,ā Eberflus said. āYou take it for what it is and you move forward, and thatās what you do. So I really didnāt have any reaction. I was disappointed in that but thatās where it is right now.
āWeāre working forward. Ryanās going to be working forward with Roquan, and weāll see where it goes.ā
NOTES: The Bears continue to work without wide receiver NāKeal Harry, who has an ankle sprain. There is no timetable on his return. There is also no timetable on the return of wide receiver Byron Pringle, who has a quad injury. During Tuesdayās practice they also had wide receiver David Moore leave with an unspecified injury. Wide receive Velus Jones Jr. is out with a minor injury and is day to day. ... Tackle Riley Reiff has been moved to right tackle and rookie Braxton Jones is taking most of the plays at left tackle with starters.
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