The question that is Roquan Smith’s absence from the Bears continues to be shrouded in mystery, but we have learned some new details about Smith’s behavior leading up to Sunday’s mysterious scratch.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, Smith is out indefinitely as the Bears give him time to deal with a personal issue. Smith has not been acting like himself around Halas Hall for the past week or so, according to Graziano.
Last Sunday, about 20 minutes before the Bears released their inactives against the Vikings, Smith was downgraded to “doubtful,” which was shocking considering the surprise of it all.
When Nagy was hounded with a dozen or so questions regarding Smith’s status during his Monday press conference, he kept responding with “it’s a personal issue.”
There were rumors swirling about reasons why Smith was inactive, even ranging as far as a car accident, which was quickly debunked.
While ILB Nick Kwiatkoski was a viable back-up in Smith’s absence, it doesn’t help when a cornerstone of your defense is missing.
As Smith continues to deal with a personal issue, it seems unlikely Smith will be ready for Sunday’s game against the Oakland Raiders in London. The Bears defense will have to keep marching on in his stead until his return, which they’ve proven capable of.
