Former Bears linebacker Roquan Smith finally got his contract extension.
The Ravens agreed to give him a five-year deal worth, per NFL Network, $100 million and $60 million guaranteed — roughly what Smith wanted when he was a member of the Bears and serving as his own agent. The deal would make Smith the highest-paid off-ball linebacker in the league, according to NFL Network.
The Bears wouldn’t give it to him and Smith missed much of training camp while serving as a “hold-in,” attending meetings but not practicing. Smith returned without any capitulation from Bears general manager Ryan Poles, who eventually traded him to the Ravens on Oct. 31 for a second- and fifth-round pick. The Bears didn’t win another game.
Earlier this season, coach Matt Eberflus pointed to a lack of takeaways when asked to compare Smith to the highest-paid off-ball linebackers in the league. Smith, though, was named to his first Pro Bowl last month.
The Bears’ No. 8 overall pick in 2018, Smith will become the first off-ball linebacker to receive $20 million per year.
