Since the Bears hired GM Ryan Poles, he’s been putting in the work to rebuild this roster from the ground up. That meant ridding the books of big contracts (which has left Chicago with $91 million in dead cap) and acquiring draft capital for veterans that weren’t part of future plans.
The Bears made two moves at the trade deadline, dealing their best defensive players in defensive end Robert Quinn and linebacker Roquan Smith. While the Quinn move didn’t come as a surprise, the Smith trade was surprising.
There was plenty of drama with Smith and the Bears, where the two sides couldn’t agree to terms on a contract extension. Talks were shelved when the regular season kicked off, and the belief was they’d reconvene after the season. At least, that’s what Smith believed.
“I thought Poles would ship me out, but he told me numerous times, ‘I don’t plan to trade you at all,’” Smith told Dan Pompei of The Athletic. “So I was like, ‘I guess I won’t be going anywhere.’ He said we’d talk at the end of the season.”
Smith told Pompei that when Poles took over as GM, he called Smith to his office and “told him he would build Chicago’s offense around quarterback Justin Fields and defense around Smith.”
Which meant giving Smith a “top of the market” contract for off-ball linebackers. That obviously didn’t happen.
“I took him at his word,” Smith said. “But life happens.”
With both sides at odds, it never felt like resolution was imminent. Which is why Poles ultimately dealt Smith to the Ravens in exchange for 2023 second- and fifth-round picks.
Now, Smith has a chance to contend for a Super Bowl with a Ravens organization that’s trending in the right direction. Not to mention, he’s in line for that big-money extension he sought in Chicago.
“I’m happy to be playing the game that I love for an organization that really wanted me that has such a rich tradition for linebackers, and in an amazing city,” Smith said. “It’s hard not to smile when you go through a lot and you still are able to play the game you love. I’m joyful.”
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