What LB Roquan Smith Saga Means for Detroit Lions

The Chicago Bears linebacker has requested to be traded.

The Chicago Bears are starting off the preseason with what could be a significant distraction. 

It was reported on Tuesday that linebacker Roquan Smith has requested to be traded, after failing to secure a long-term contract extension this offseason. 

Smith is currently earning a salary of $9.735 million, under the terms of his fifth-year contract option.

According to reports, the contract stalemate has caused the talented linebacker to feel that the new Bears front office doesn’t value enough what he brings to the defense. 

According to The Draft Network, "A corresponding report indicates the Bears made a “take it or leave it” backloaded offer which wouldn’t make Smith the highest paid linebacker in actual salary. Chicago’s offer is also said to include proposed de-escalators that not a single player out of the 94 non-quarterback, $15-plus million contracts includes. Smith was understandably offended by such an unprecedented approach."

In 2021, Smith recorded 163 total tackles, a career-high mark, while securing four quarterback hits, three pass breakups, 12 tackles for loss, three sacks and one interception. 

While it is unlikely Chicago, led by general manager Ryan Poles, would pursue trading a 25-year-old linebacker within the division, the situation is still worth monitoring. 

Recall, the Lions still have one additional first-round pick in next year's draft. But, the team is up against it salary-cap wise, with only approximately $10 million in space available. 

Lions general manager Brad Holmes was able to successfully pull off a draft day trade with a team in the NFC North, the Minnesota Vikings, which yielded wideout Jameson Williams with the No. 12 overall pick. 

Currently, the Lions' coaching staff is publicly backing the linebackers on the roster. 

"I want to see all the guys in pads. But, just to pick out certain guys, like (Malcolm) Rodriguez is one of them, because you just watch him in college, you see how physical he is in college, man. You want to see if that’s going to transition over to our game in the NFL," Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn told reporters recently. "James Houston, I want to see how he operates, and then just all of our inside backers, getting a chance to take on these guards and tackles that we have. I want to see how those guys operate, and then just the physical nature of all our defensive guys, alright, because that’s what we preach. And, you see that happen in the other practices. So, man, just excited to see how these guys operate.”