After an interesting offseason where Roquan Smith expected the Bears to be on his side. It seems GM Ryan Poles had different plans despite what he said to Smith.
The Chicago Bears made the move to trade star linebacker Roquan Smith ahead of the NFL trade deadline this year, a move that shook up the locker room. After contract negotiations stalled over the Summer and Smith requesting a trade, he got his wish.
But it appeared as if that was the plan all along for the Bears despite Poles telling Smith otherwise.
In a new article by The Athletic’s Dan Pompei on Wednesday, it was revealed by Smith that Poles told the linebacker numerous times that he didn’t plan on trading him. Here is what Smith said to Pompei in the piece:
“I thought Poles would ship me out, but he told me numerous times, ‘I don’t plan to trade you at all.'” He continues “So I was like, ‘I guess I won’t be going anywhere.’ He said we’d talk at the end of the season.”
During the offseason Smith expected the Bears to be on his side as he was looking to stay in Chicago. Things took an unexpected turn when Smith was moved to weak side linebacker, which then led to Smith deciding to step away from camp and eventually requesting to be moved out of Chicago.
One thing is clear so far in Poles’ short tenure so far with the Bears. He is looking to shape and form this team in his own image. Without having a big contract like Smith’s would have been on the books leaves him plenty of space to make moves in his own interest.
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