The Bears have now traded two of their captains within the past week. Robert Quinn was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fourth-round pick last Wednesday.
Smith was drafted by Ryan Pace out of Georgia with the eighth pick in the 2018 NFL draft and became both a standout on the field and a leader in the locker room. He often spoke of the Bears’ long history of great linebackers and his desire to join it.
He did, however, stage a holdout in training camp this summer and expressed his desire to become the league’s highest-paid linebacker and was seeking a record-setting deal in excess of $100 million. When that didn’t happen, he requested a trade on the morning of the team’s family day at Soldier Field.
Smith had an up-and-down 2022 season to this point, sealing the Houston win with a fourth-quarter interception but struggling in other games. The Bears defense gave up 440 yards to the Cowboys on Sunday, losing the game 49-29.
Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles was facing a decision on whether or not to open up his wallet and cut Smith a big check or deal with the drama of the franchise tag.
With this decision, it becomes clear that Poles would rather build another way.
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