Chicago Bears' Roquan Smith tipped to sign for AFC West team following trade request

NFL journalist Albert Breer has hinted at a possible destination for Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith following his recent announcement.

In a rather incredible act of a player coming out and saying what they feel rather than bottling it up inside or keeping it private and within the building, Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith made it public on social media that he has asked the team for a trade. 

Smith has made an impressive impact in the NFL ever since he was drafted by the Bears in the 1st round of the 2018 NFL Draft when they took him #8 overall. In his four years so far in the NFL, he has amassed 524 total tackles, 14 sacks, 17 pass deflections and 5 interceptions, making him a threat in pretty much all facets on the defensive side of the ball that was reflected in him being named 2nd-Team All-Pro in 2020 and 2021. 

The Bears clearly saw that potential with him as they exercised the 5th-year option on his rookie contract ahead of the 2021 season, locking him in for this season, but he doesn’t have his services secured beyond this campaign, and after the team ‘refused to negotiate in good faith’, he clearly feels as though he should go to a team that values him more. 

Given the way that the Bears have been performing in recent years, this might be the right time for Smith to move. They won 12 games during his first season there, enough to win the NFC North title, but since then the team have been on a downward slope, winning 8 games in 2019 and 2020, then just 6 games in 2021. 

And with this season set to be the first of Justin Fields being the full-time starter and with the team appointing a new head coach and general manager during this past offseason, the Bears are in rebuilding mode, and that might not be