4 reasons why the Chicago Bears should pay Roquan Smith

Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith has requested a trade following an impasse in contract negotiations. Smith is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract and is seeking a new deal that will pay him at or near the top of the inside linebacker market.

Smith's trade request was shared by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport Tuesday and sent a firestorm through Bears Twitter. It's surprising to see how many fans are against the idea of paying Smith a lucrative second contract. The popular argument against a new deal is the lack of positional value; it's bad business, some would say, to pay an off-ball linebacker $20 million per season.

I respectfully disagree. In fact, I believe the Chicago Bears should pay Roquan Smith the contract he's seeking. I'd be fine if Smith becomes the highest-paid inside linebacker in the NFL. To become that, he'll need to ink a deal that pays more than Shaquille Leonard's $19.7 million per year. Leonard signed a five-year, $98.5 million deal in August 2021.

Here are four reasons why re-signing Roquan Smith is good business.

Smith is more than just a linebacker

Forget the positional value argument. Smith is to linebackers what Christian McCaffrey is to running backs. He's more of a defensive weapon than any one true position. His sideline-to-sideline range is rare. At times, it appears like more than one No. 58 is on the field. That's how exceptional he is. So, yeah, maybe the traditional inside or off-ball linebacker is the defense's version of a running back. But there are exceptions at every position. And much like McCaffrey is more offensive weapon than running back, so is Smith on defense. He impacts the game beyond a traditional inside linebacker.

Let's not forget the leadership role Smith plays in the locker room, too. The Bears want to rebuild a winning culture in Chicago, but failing to reward one of their own can quickly sour the mood inside Halas Hall. If the organization wants buy-in from the players, paying Smith will help.

Roquan Smith is just now entering his prime

Smith is 25 years old. Let that sink in for a moment. There are at least eight (or so) elite years of football left in his legs, and a second contract will consume his prime years. By the time Smith is 27 years old, a contract signed in 2022 will be a bargain. It's remarkable to consider what Smith has accomplished in such a short period of time, too. Check out this tweet shared by CBS Sports:

Smith is in rare territory, and should be rewarded accordingly.

Chicago Bears have the salary cap space

It'd be one thing if the Bears didn't have much wiggle room under the salary cap to pay Roquan Smith. But according to reliable salary-cap outlets, Chicago will have the most salary cap space in the NFL in 2023. At some point, general manager Ryan Poles has to spend it. I understand why he wants to be conservative. And it makes sense to be patient, let the 2022 season play out, and reassess next winter. But hesitation can be a bad leadership trait. When it comes to Roquan Smith, Poles should waste no time locking him up on a long-term deal. The Bears can afford the salary; they can't afford losing an elite talent.

What's the point of drafting good players if they don't stick around?

Roquan Smith is the best first-round pick the Chicago Bears have made since Brian Urlacher in 2000. Selected eighth overall in 2018, Smith has become a two-time All-Pro and is routinely among the NFL's leading tacklers. With the offseason trade of Khalil Mack, Smith is the undisputed leader of the Bears' defense, and with the exception of perhaps quarterback Justin Fields, the most talented football player on the roster.

Simply put, Smith is exactly what teams hope for when they select a player in the first round. He's a draft success. Smith is the gold standard for getting it right on draft weekend. Some will say the Bears backed themselves into this inevitable corner by selecting a linebacker in the top 10. I'd argue Chicago selected a damn good football player. And you can't win games without guys like Smith on the roster.

Poles wasted little time putting his stamp on the Chicago Bears when he traded Mack and opted for two defensive backs over a wide receiver early in the 2022 NFL Draft. He stuck to his principles in free agency and didn't spend on overpriced players. Now, it's on him to do what's right by Smith and the short- and long-term future of the Bears. Fortunately, both of those interests demand the same strategy: pay Roquan Smith.

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