Roquan Smith said he plans to play Sunday against the Raiders in London after missing the Vikings game with a personal issue.
The inside linebacker will practice for the Bears on Wednesday.
Both Smith and coach Matt Nagy were vague about the details surrounding the team scratching Smith from the game, saying that it was a matter of the player’s privacy.
“It was a personal reason, and that’s behind us now,” Smith said Wednesday in his first comments about the matter. “Just focused on getting better and moving on to Oakland.”
Smith, who has participated in team activities all week, said he’s received “big-time” support from the Bears front office as well as his teammates.
“I’m good,” Smith said. “It was personal. It’s behind me.”
Nagy wouldn’t commit to whether Smith would be on the Bears’ flight to London on Thursday night, or if he would play Sunday against the Raiders.
“We’ll see,” Nagy said.
Defensive coordinator Chuck Pagano called Smith a “brother” and a “family member.”
“This is personal,” Pagano said. “Everybody’s got everybody’s back here, from the top down.”
Two hours before the Vikings game, the Bears announced he would be doubtful for the game. A half-hour later, they put him on the inactive list. The Bears let Smith watch the game from the sideline.
The Bears will practice at Halas Hall on Wednesday and Thursday before traveling.
