The 5 teams who should immediately call the Bears about a Roquan Smith trade
The Chicago Bears are a disaster. Roquan Smith is no longer interested in helping with the cleanup.
The All-Pro linebacker and biggest star on a rebuilding roster devoid of talent officially wants out of Illinois. The rangy off-ball defender took to his Notes app to express his appreciation for the fans in Chicago and the history of the only NFL franchise he’s ever known. It was a preamble to an announcement the Bears weren’t willing to meet his contract demands as free agency looms in 2023.
“I wanted to be a Bear for my entire career, help this team bring a super bowl back to our city,” Smith wrote, per Ian Rapoport. “However, 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.”
Smith is in the final season of his rookie contract. While he’ll earn $9.7 million in 2022 — more than half the total of his earnings from the first four years of his career — that’s still an underpay in a league where the Indianapolis Colts’ Shaquille Leonard, a comparably stout inside linebacker, is earning an average of $19.7 million annually.
This could be a ploy to force the Bears — who are slated to have significantly more salary cap space in 2023 than any other team in the NFL — to pull out their checkbook. It also could be a dinner bell for any potential contender with a need in the middle of its defense and money to burn next season and beyond. A Smith extension would likely clock in somewhere around five years and $100 million, if Leonard’s extension in Indianapolis is any indication.
There are several teams who would be happy to hand him record-setting cash. The 25-year-old Smith would immediately stabilize any needy roster’s linebacker corps, even if these off-ball LB deals have recently failed to pay off:
Let’s talk about the five candidates who make the most sense for a Smith trade. Spoiler alert: most of them are hoping he can make life hell for Patrick Mahomes.