CHICAGO — When Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles sat down for the obligatory stage-setting news conference of training camp Tuesday morning, he still hadn’t crossed paths with standout linebacker Roquan Smith. Poles had been told Smith checked into camp. But beyond that?
Well, let’s just say whatever Poles knew about Smith’s contract dissatisfaction or plans to address it differed from what the GM was willing to talk about publicly. On a dais inside Halas Hall and in front of cameras livestreaming the back-and-forth with reporters via the Bears’ own channels, Poles chose an evasive route. He mentioned Smith in his opening statement, but briefly and only to say that he loved the linebacker as a player and a person but wasn’t going to talk about Smith’s contract status.
During an ensuing barrage of questions, Poles still couldn’t — or wouldn’t — offer much.
