Roquan an early sit-out

[beardown07]

I won't pretend to say this isn't a bit annoying. I had fully expected Smith to be signed by now. But he will sign, so in the big pic, this is just a small blip on the radar. What commands my attention to a much greater degree is the health of the roster. We already have a player, Aaron Lynch, who has spent virtually his entire time as a Bear in the infirmary, and his biggest problem the past couple of seasons has been health. He was signed to play opposite Floyd. Not exactly the most encouraging of developments. Trevathan just returned to practice, but he too has had a history of not being on the field due to nagging injuries. This was my big concern with playing an extra preseason game, and why I'd be fine if we let nothing but 3rd, 4h, and 5th stringers take the field Thursday nite.

Kylie Fitts will start opposite Floyd IMO, and I think he will do well. That position is my biggest worry with this team tho, by far.

 

[beardown07]

I won't pretend to say this isn't a bit annoying. I had fully expected Smith to be signed by now. But he will sign, so in the big pic, this is just a small blip on the radar. What commands my attention to a much greater degree is the health of the roster. We already have a player, Aaron Lynch, who has spent virtually his entire time as a Bear in the infirmary, and his biggest problem the past couple of seasons has been health. He was signed to play opposite Floyd. Not exactly the most encouraging of developments. Trevathan just returned to practice, but he too has had a history of not being on the field due to nagging injuries. This was my big concern with playing an extra preseason game, and why I'd be fine if we let nothing but 3rd, 4h, and 5th stringers take the field Thursday nite.

Roquan is off to a shaky start with fans IMO. The playbook deal was dumb af, right out of the gates, and now this,(which this I at least understand his delay, as no player really knows how the refs are going to call things yet with the tackling...I wouldn't want to proffer up guaranteed money for that either) But still, he will need to be amazing right off the bat, for fans to move on quickly.

 

[richig07]

Roquan is off to a shaky start with fans IMO. The playbook deal was dumb af, right out of the gates, and now this,(which this I at least understand his delay, as no player really knows how the refs are going to call things yet with the tackling...I wouldn't want to proffer up guaranteed money for that either) But still, he will need to be amazing right off the bat, for fans to move on quickly.

He is... but all that shit disappears with his first big game. Everything here is extremely forgivable.

 

[beardown07]

He is... but all that shit disappears with his first big game. Everything here is extremely forgivable.

Ya, he needs to get on the field and play well from jumpstreet. Learning curve be damned, this kid needs to excel immediately.

 

[richig07]

Ya, he needs to get on the field and play well from jumpstreet. Learning curve be damned, this kid needs to excel immediately.

Saw Schefter reporting this morning that neither side is budging, negotiations are at a complete stand still and there is currently zero progress being made.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Saw Schefter reporting this morning that neither side is budging, negotiations are at a complete stand still and there is currently zero progress being made.

Our front office above pace sucks...

 

[richig07]

Our front office above pace sucks...

It's all about this new helmet rule and how the Bears wish to approach contracts with it. Writing in that if Smith gets suspended due to it - they can dock him guaranteed cash. Smith is having none of it and I don't blame him. Nobody knows exactly how this rule will play out (quite frankly - it scares the hell out of me in how it will affect the quality of play... but that's a different convo all together)

Like you said, this sounds like an ownership thing. I doubt Pace spends his day coming up with this cookie cutter bull shit. At the end of the day, he has orders too.

 

[richig07]

Well, the Tribune just gave us an update a little under an hour ago...

Apparently, this no longer has anything to do with the helmet rule and Smith's guaranteed cash being touched as a result. Smith wants protection for behavior outside of football - resulting in discipline.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/fo ... story.html

In an effort to end the contract impasse with first-round draft pick Roquan Smith, the Bears conceded they won’t go after his guaranteed money if the linebacker gets suspended under the NFL’s new rule legislating helmet contact, the Tribune has learned.

The Bears made this concession even before the recent public disclosure of the major sticking point, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. They are one of eight NFL teams willing to include contract language protecting a first-rounder’s guaranteed money if he’s suspended for an illegal hit, a source said.

But Smith remains away from training camp because his representatives at CAA Football have insisted the Bears go even further and include contract language protecting the player from discipline for behavior outside the realm of a football play. The Bears’ reluctance to do so revolves around their fear of setting a precedent for future contracts and has nothing to do with concerns about Smith’s character, the source said.

 

[podsox]

Well, the Tribune just gave us an update a little under an hour ago...

Apparently, this no longer has anything to do with the helmet rule and Smith's guaranteed cash being touched as a result. Smith wants protection for behavior outside of football - resulting in discipline.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/fo ... story.html

In an effort to end the contract impasse with first-round draft pick Roquan Smith, the Bears conceded they won’t go after his guaranteed money if the linebacker gets suspended under the NFL’s new rule legislating helmet contact, the Tribune has learned.

The Bears made this concession even before the recent public disclosure of the major sticking point, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. They are one of eight NFL teams willing to include contract language protecting a first-rounder’s guaranteed money if he’s suspended for an illegal hit, a source said.

But Smith remains away from training camp because his representatives at CAA Football have insisted the Bears go even further and include contract language protecting the player from discipline for behavior outside the realm of a football play. The Bears’ reluctance to do so revolves around their fear of setting a precedent for future contracts and has nothing to do with concerns about Smith’s character, the source said.

If true, Everybody just went fuck the bears to fuck roquan

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

If true, Everybody just went fuck the bears to fuck roquan

Fuck Roquan’s agent. You know he’s been the guy that’s manipulating the media.

 

[richig07]

Fuck Roquan’s agent. You know he’s been the guy that’s manipulating the media.

He's represented by the CAA - Who have been in a stand-off with the NFL over all of this shit. This about a larger picture for them and the Bears are the unfortunate team to get caught in the crossfire.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

He's represented by the CAA - Who have been in a stand-off with the NFL over all of this shit. This about a larger picture for them and the Bears are the unfortunate team to get caught in the crossfire.

I heard he had the same agent as Joey Bosa. Either way, the onus of the pressure just shifted from the bears to Roquan. I have a feeling this deal will get sorted out within the next week. Roquan Smith isn’t going to like the negative press about him and isn’t equipped to deal with it so early in his career. I’ll bet this will put into motion a chain of events that forces the agent to sign the contract.

 

[richig07]

I heard he had the same agent as Joey Bosa. Either way, the onus of the pressure just shifted from the bears to Roquan. I have a feeling this deal will get sorted out within the next week. Roquan Smith isn’t going to like the negative press about him and isn’t equipped to deal with it so early in his career. I’ll bet this will put into motion a chain of events that forces the agent to sign the contract.

The public opinion has definitely shifted. We'll see how it plays out... I hope you're right.

 

[Lake Shore Drive]

I really don't want to play the blame game here. My guess is there are faults on both sides. We just need to get his butt in camp and get him into game readiness asap. These are valuable days he is missing.

 

[Beengay fudgepackers]

Looks like I may be off on my earlier prediction. This is starting to remind me of the benson hold out. It was for different reasons, but I could easily see kwitkowski hold him off as starter for a long time if he doesn’t get his ass to camp yesterday.

 

[beardown07]

Fucking ridiculous.


Agree with @Beengay fudgepackers, if he doesn't sign soon, he will not be starting week 1.

Kwiatkowski is a good player IMO, who should do nothing but get better.



His agent should be shit-canned.

 

[nebearsfan70]

At this point, fuck Smith.

 

[beardown07]

At this point, fuck Smith.

He better be good, or this fan-base will eat him alive.

He'll be sucking his thumb in therapy by week 5, if he keeps this shit up.

 

[nebearsfan70]

He better be good, or this fan-base will eat him alive.

He'll be sucking his thumb in therapy by week 5, if he keeps this shit up.

Agreed.

 

[wood20ks]

Him holding out is making sick to my stomach.........I can imagine what it's doing to rest of the team,especially the defense.....This does nothing but bring rest of the team down.

I know not all is lost,but damn......We need him signed asap..