Bears 'optimistic' Roquan Smith will be in camp soon

It's interesting to read Brian Urlacher's take on Smith's holdout.

From the Chicago Tribune:

There was a certain irony for the Bears on Thursday night as they prepared to face the Ravens in the Hall of Fame Game. There was Brian Urlacher, once the heartbeat of the defense, an eight-time Pro Bowl selection and now a Hall of Famer, going from player to player with high-fives and words of encouragement.

Urlacher, an elite member of the franchise’s long linebacker lineage, was receiving his latest acknowledgement for his big weekend at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Yet the young linebacker expected to begin the next chapter of defensive dominance for the Bears was nowhere to be found, not around to grasp the significance of Urlacher's presence.

Roquan Smith, who was drafted No. 8 in April — one slot ahead of where Urlacher was picked in 2000 — has yet to sign his rookie contract. He hasn’t reported to training camp and hasn’t been able to begin practicing with his team.

Urlacher shrugged Friday afternoon when asked about Smith’s ongoing absence and a contract melodrama that has killed some of the summer buzz around the team.

“It’s a business deal,” Urlacher said. “That’s the way it goes. Sometimes these things happen. I don’t think it’s his issue. I don’t think it’s the Bears’ decision for this to happen. But let’s see where it goes.”

Eighteen years ago, as a top-10 pick and a player expected to help revive the Bears defense, Urlacher made certain to report to camp on time. He told his agent he wanted no part of a holdout, in big part because he needed to learn to play linebacker after spending the latter part of his college career at New Mexico as a safety.

“I can’t speak for other people, but I told my agent: ‘I will not miss camp. I’ll be in there. Even if we sign the day before, I will not miss camp at all. I think it’s detrimental to me learning the defense and (helping) my teammates.’ We made sure we got it done in time.”

Urlacher stayed true to his word, won Defensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2000 and went on to enjoy a storied career that has led him this weekend to the Hall of Fame.

Perhaps Smith can enjoy a similar journey when he finally signs and joins the Bears on the field. Still, Urlacher said, the rookie should not be concerned with any lofty expectations or comparisons as his arrival inevitably sparks references to Urlacher, Mike Singletary, Dick Butkus and Bill George.

“There shouldn’t be any pressure, shouldn’t be any comparisons,” Urlacher said. “There are no comparisons. It’s like what I said when people asked me that question (as a young player). It’s not fair to Butkus, to Singletary, to Bill George to compare me to them. I’m not them. I was me. I didn’t think it was fair to them. They were in the Hall of Fame at that time.”

Urlacher now is too.

Smith’s career arc is yet to be seen. But he’ll have to find a way to erase the frustrations that have come from his holdout.

dwiederer@chicagotribune.com

Twitter @danwiederer

Brad Biggs: A day before Brian Urlacher's turn to speak, he soaks in stories from older Hall of Famers »

David Haugh: Bears' season won't really start until Mitch Trubisky plays and Roquan Smith gets to camp »

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• Brian Urlacher
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Soooooo... Urlacher isn't ANGRY at RS? That's a much lighter stance than what's floating around here. Ciao!

 

I found this very interesting. Smith is placing himself in a potentially untenable situation with his holdout. Twenty days of holding out for more changes to his contract? This hold out might cost this kid his future ...

From the Tribune:

BOURBONNAIS — The Bears’ preseason loss Thursday to the Ravens was full of messages for rookie linebacker Roquan Smith — provided Smith didn’t pull a Martellus Bennett-like stunt and refuse to watch his own team, that is.

The first message was former Bears star Brian Urlacher’s entrance. While former Ravens star Ray Lewis danced, Urlacher high-fived his way down a line of current Bears. It was a classy gesture from a member of the 2018 Hall of Fame class.

Smith should know that’s the standard. Being a linebacker for the Bears means more than making tackles. Like it or not, you will be the face of the team, one who follows in the footsteps of legends.

The second message came on the Bears’ sideline. Linebacker Nick Kwiatkoski didn’t play. He joined quarterback Mitch Trubisky — and every other player the Bears considered too valuable to risk injury-wise — as a spectator.


Bears linebacker Roquan Smith still hasn't signed with the Bears. (AP)

Smith should know Kwiatkoski is the starter. He earned his right to sit out a meaningless preseason game because of a strong training camp.

Another message came in the fourth quarter. Ravens rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson took off on a naked bootleg, but Bears safety Deiondre’ Hall chased him down from the opposite side of the field.

Jackson, a first-round pick who ran for 4,132 yards at Louisville and won the Heisman Trophy in 2016, was stopped before reaching a first down by a fourth-round pick in 2016 who is on the bubble with the Bears.

Smith should know that, regardless of how fast and good he was in college, the NFL level is faster and better.

On Saturday, Smith’s contract impasse reached its 20th day. At this point, certain contract language about behavior shouldn’t matter as much, especially after the Bears sided with him on the new helmet rule. The more time Smith misses, the more he falls behind and the more he has to do to win over his new teammates.

Players always know best. They know who is ready and who isn’t. They know which teammates give them the best chance to win. It happened last season. If then-coach John Fox hadn’t replaced Mike Glennon with Trubisky, he risked alienating parts of his locker room.

If Smith is the player the Bears think he is, then he will overcome his bumpy beginning. But with every day missed in camp, the impasse only looks worse for him — and him alone.

Only one person can end what coach Matt Nagy called a ‘‘stalemate,’’ and it’s Smith. He must tell his agents he wants to be in Bourbonnais, where his teammates are practicing in 90-degree heat and humidity this weekend.

 

Oh hell i've got way more than just the politics my man. Which way you wanna take this, the fact that you're decades in and still as football stupid as you were day 1 or that you're such a pussy you dodge paying up when you lose a simple bet?

You can decide.

 

You obviously need an eye exam. Check out Dr. Ho on Orchard Street in the Lower East Side. Good guy, great optometrist. You’re welcome.

 

My eyesight is fine thank you, and so is the guy you lost the bet to who completely rejected your lameass attempt to get out of paying up.

What was the word catfish used to describe you, "weasel" wasn't it? And then he showed the totally legit avatar he would've sported if he'd lost. Way to REALLY make you look like a POS haha.

Welching on any bet is a dirtbag move, but something as small as an avatar bet?? Now, time for your eye test


P U
S S Y

 

My favorite snack. Didn’t even have to buy a vowel.

You forgot to scramble the letters... or you coulda just typed it straight. Perhaps you’re too fucking stupid and/or lazy to really work that shift key.

 

Let's be honest, Firehalo: most of your posts aren't even legible. Once you start getting all frothy about something or other, you go into some rabid state where you can't type straight. I can't tell you the amount of times I've written a post of yours off as some unhinged abuse of a keyboard, because I have no idea what you're talking about. Does it make you a bad guy? No. Does it make Ev right (including supporting evidence for his other claims about you, which, off the top of my head, are also all true)? Absolutely.

Give this one up, bud. It's not dueling pistols, it's paintball. You lost, be grateful you can walk home. Clean up and better effort next time.

 

I lost what... exactly?

I was right about this over-reaction about RS (Urlacher isn’t mad and he has a shit tonne more invested in the Bears than any of you guys). Players should protect themselves as much as possible in a league that’s “use ‘em a while, then over the shoulder”. I never said he should have “extra curricular” protections, only regarding his salary/bonuses and a vague new rule implemented by the NFL. Ev came at me with some stupid “politics” bullshit, I called him out on that... and he, well, ... fuck it, whatever.

Very chivalrous of you, @dline, for backing up your homie though. Who’s the next damsel in distress?

 

Retraction:
I have lost something here...
The will and desire to dance around with you silly old bears.

 

Kudos for being a Class A troll FH,

(I won't mention what the "A"stands for)

 

Just keeping it simple for you. Coherence isn't one of your strong suits.

Except im not the one in distress here. That would be you. And there aint no one here to bail out your bet welching ass.


Anyway thanks for stopping by, i look forward to your next visit. Maybe next time we can talk about some of your football knowledge. I've got one example that will go down a storm on this board.

 

Probably some dignity and certainly some respect.

 

And some intelligence credibility...

 

Still talking about me... instead of Roquan Smith? Thank you. But be sure to thank your homie Everton for de-railing the RS topic train.

I didn’t make it personal, he did, and I responded accordingly. Should I reference the point of change for you pack of oafish idiots or can you find it yourselves?

 

I think the posters in question are talking about you, but not to you. I think we'll all be happy to move on. Let's let that happen naturally, huh?

 

Didn’t you say, four or five times, that you were done here?

And, here you are, still here.

Even my eight-year-old knows the “he started it” defense doesn’t fly. You sound as stupid and childish as the US leadership with that shit.

 

Twice

I see you guys have addition issues too

Want me to reference that as well?

 

Sorry, you spew so much bullshit I didn’t really pay attention.

And classic deflection there, ignoring my real point.

 

This is currently the funniest thread on the entire site. Watching you guys bumble all over yourselves to get at ... me. Priceless.

Keep the comedy gold flowing.