LAKE FOREST, Ill. – Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith, who is among a small group of players not represented by an agent, is in line for a contract extension entering his fifth season in the NFL.
Whether the Bears and their standout linebacker will come to an agreement this offseason remains up in the air. New general manager Ryan Poles has made a handful of difficult decisions since taking over in January, including trading Khalil Mack to the Los Angeles Chargers and letting key defenders like Akiem Hicks hit free agency while also cutting ties with Danny Trevathan and Eddie Goldman.
Smith, 25, is one of the Bears' most impactful veterans and a core building block in new coach Matt Eberflus’ defense. While the linebacker would not address specifics surrounding potential contract negotiations, he did express a desire Wednesday to remain in Chicago long term.
“Absolutely, yeah, that’s my plan,” Smith said.
The linebacker said he is confident he and the team will "get everything taken care of” while shifting his focus off contract talks to learning his role in the Bears’ new scheme during Chicago's offseason workout program.
At the league’s owners meetings last month, Poles said an extension for Smith is “something we have to address” ahead of what the general manager said he expects to be a strong season from the linebacker.
Poles noted the potential of getting a deal done before the season starts but did not commit to a timeline.
“I don’t know if that’s how we’re going to handle it, but I would like to,” Poles said. “Obviously the earlier you get to that, the better. But also with a new staff, we may wait a little bit, too.”
Chicago picked up Smith’s fifth-year option last offseason, and he is set to earn a fully guaranteed $9.375 million in 2022. Smith ranked fifth in the NFL in tackles last season (163) and was a second-team All-Pro selection in 2020-21. The former first-round pick stacks up favorably against two other linebackers who recently signed lucrative extensions – Darius Leonard, who signed a five-year, $98.5 million deal with the Indianapolis Colts last August and was taken in the second round of the same draft as Smith in 2018, and Zach Cunningham, who signed a four-year, $58 million deal with the Houston Texans in 2020.
Over his four-year career, Smith ranks ahead of Cunningham and Leonard in tackles for loss (43) and is second behind Leonard in sacks with 14.0.
The Bears had their second day of minicamp on Wednesday, and Smith was present. Across the NFL, several players seeking new contracts have skipped these workouts, which are voluntary.
“At the end of the day, and I’ll always be this way, I’m me and I’ll stand for what I believe in,” Smith said. “And my job and what I believe in is showing up and doing what I have to do. I don’t focus on others or anything like that. I just know what I signed up for.”
As Smith and the rest of the Bears defense begins the transition from a 3-4 defense to Eberflus’ 4-3 scheme, the linebacker views his position to lead this unit through a rebuild as a positive.
“I think that's a heck of an opportunity to have,” Smith said. “Obviously resetting things and starting over fresh, new faces, new regime, so I think it’s a great opportunity to be the face of the new regime and doing whatever it takes to make this the best regime in Bears history. That's my plan.”