Bears linebacker Roquan Smith is healthy. But he’s still not practicing.
One day after the Bears took him off of the physically unable to perform list, Smith wore a baseball cap, shorts and T-shirt to training camp practice at Halas Hall, but was merely an observer. He emerged about 45 minutes into practice, standing near rehabbing players. Five minutes later, he walked to the opposite field to stand with his fellow linebackers.
Coach Matt Eberflus would only say that he didn’t practice.
“He was cleared by our medical staff as healthy,” he said. “He did not practice. And the reason why for that is, you’ll have to ask him. We expect all of our healthy players to practice, and that was his decision. Like I said, you have to ask him. I have not talked to him about it.”
Smith has yet to give an interview during training camp. Neither the NFL nor the Bears have any rule that prevents a healthy player from talking to the media. The Bears, though, claim that he won’t talk until he can practice.
Eberflus said any fines Smith would be levied are at the discretion of the Bears’ front office.
Smith reported to camp on time but refused to practice while awaiting a contract extension that still hasn’t come. The Bears put him on PUP to start camp but didn’t say why. It was widely considered to be a gesture of goodwill, as players can’t be fined for violating team rules while on PUP.
With talks stalled, Smith demanded a trade on Tuesday in a statement that accused Bears general manager Ryan Poles of not negotiating in good faith. Not surprisingly, the Bears yanked him from PUP the next day.
Smith has one year left on his rookie deal and is looking for an extension in the five-year, $100 million range. He has little leverage, though — he has to play this season in order for his contract to expire after it ends, and even after that Bears could issue him the franchise tag for 2023.
The regular season starts in exactly one month.
