This Is The Most Compelling Case To Trade Roquan Smith You’ll Hear
The debate has raged now for two weeks. Roquan Smith began his hold-in from the Chicago Bears over a contract dispute. Then he chose to escalate matters further by requesting a trade, citing GM Ryan Poles not negotiating “in good faith.” Now fans and the media are divided on the subject. Many claim Smith is the team’s best player. Rewarding the best player is supposed to be good business. At the same time, others feel Smith isn’t worth the trouble or the money. Not just because of the distractions he can create but also the position he plays.
Name the last linebacker to lead his team to a Super Bowl title. That is the primary argument many are putting forward when explaining why a trade makes sense. Ironically, no one made the case better than Colin Cowherd. The longtime analyst and radio host discussed the Smith situation on The Herd. From the way he put forward why a trade is in the best interests of the Bears, it was difficult to argue the point.
"This is your Monta Ellis-Steph Curry moment… Be the Warriors and not the Bears." @ColinCowherd explains why it's time to trade Roquan Smith pic.twitter.com/363peEx9PF
— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) August 17, 2022
Roquan Smith is a reminder of how outdated the Bears are.
No franchise in NFL history has a more stellar linebacker legacy than Chicago. Since the 1950s, they’ve employed Bill George, Dick Butkus, Mike Singletary, and Brian Urlacher. Four no-doubt Hall of Famers. In that time span, the Bears have won two championships. All the while, other franchises shifted resources towards quarterbacks, wide receivers, and pass rushers. Chicago has one of the cheapest receiving corps in the NFL. The same goes for the offensive line. That can’t be allowed to continue.
Roquan Smith wants to be the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. That much is obvious. The Bears aren’t willing to go that far. He’s never played in this new defense before and hasn’t been as impactful as others like Shaquille Leonard and Fred Warner. It isn’t a crazy assumption that Poles might’ve traded him already. There is one problem. The return likely wouldn’t be worth it. Matt Lombardo of Heavy Sports revealed why.
“Multiple league sources believe the Bears will most likely need to settle for a second and/or third-round pick in return for Smith, if they are even able to find a trade partner with the draft capital and cap space to fit a new long-term extension.”
So Cowherd is right, but he’s also wrong.
The smart thing to do is trade Smith. Unfortunately, they can’t expect reasonable compensation for what he brings to the table. That is why the two sides remain stuck in the mud. There is no clear way out for either side. Not unless another team is ready to offer a 1st round pick for him.