Per Score

edit: Found an article.

Figured this would come once a deal wasn't struck by last week. 

Not a good look for Poles after all the other little things this off season. What sucks is Smith is gone, no way is he playing for the Bears even if they up the offer. 

Damn. I had read elsewhere that he might be talked off the cliff if the McCaskey family were able to do so.  

Being his own representation can’t be helpful.  

Some pretty damning comments came out.  Not good.  This is the first major crisis for Poles.  It must be handled properly.

It’s unfortunate but he needs an agent.  

Poles clearly reads PFF lol:

Quote

Pro Football Focus doesn't hold the same opinion on Smith, whom the website sees as a middling defender, based on his best single-season defensive grade finishing at just 67.2

 

I know this can only be seen as a negative, and I agree at this point not having Smith on the field is a negative. 

However, there are a lot of factors. Smith never signs a deal until it is exactly what he wants, that was clear when he held out as a rookie over some pretty minor stuff. He doesn't have an agent. So there are things in contracts that he may not have known about. 

The Bears will not get a comp pick for him if he leaves via free agency because they will sign too many FAs next year cancelling the comp pick out.

With teams knowing that, I don't see them getting more than a 3rd for Smith. Also, how many teams have the cap space to sign him to a $20M year deal? Very few teams have the cap space to add someone like Smith for $20M a year. Besides the Bears, only NYG, NE, HOU, SEA, CIN, BAL, ATL, and ARZ have over $25M FOR NEXT YEAR's CAP! That already limits the amount of teams. NE is out because they never sign players like that. ATL has Deion Jones, so they are out. ARZ will be out once they have to resign some of their own players. BAL has to pay Lamar. CIN will have to pay Burrow, so I doubt they take on a big contract.

So realistically, it would come down to NYG (most cap), HOU (Lovie connection), and SEA. If Smith wants a trade, he is likely going to a worse situation.

Poles pretty well gets pounded every time he does something. I will let this play out. People complained when he didnt spend big money on FA OL, brought in Reiff and Schofield. Didnt  sign any high profile WRs, signed Harry ( first round pick) on a minimum with potential. I remember Pace throwing money away with fat contracts, I will give Poles the benefit of doubt and wait. Not having an agent was problematic from the beginning. I remember Smith holding out on his rookie deal over something minor. The Bears hold the upper hand anyway you look at it, so he will be playing here this year with or without a contract. You think Smith will play like crap, screws up all negotiations going forward? Not going to happen.

We have no choice but to ride out this year and next to see where this is headed.  I can't fault Poles for the things he's done because we have yet to see any product on the field yet.  He does seem to at least put together a serviceable OF line starting with just a few beans before the draft.  We will see and I hope for the best of course.  But I'm to far from the light at the end of the tunnel yet.

Another high draft pick disasters by Pace.

I wanted G Nelson or McGlinchy. 

Nelson already was drafted before our pick.

4 hours ago, adam said:

Figured this would come once a deal wasn't struck by last week. 

Not a good look for Poles after all the other little things this off season. What sucks is Smith is gone, no way is he playing for the Bears even if they up the offer. 

How do you know he's gone?  I would say it's probably 75%+ he stays. This is a negotiating tactic - nothing more. That being said, he really needs an agent. You can't take this personal - it's business. 

Peace

58 minutes ago, Connorbear said:

How do you know he's gone?  I would say it's probably 75%+ he stays. This is a negotiating tactic - nothing more. That being said, he really needs an agent. You can't take this personal - it's business. 

Peace

I am just thinking if the Bears did give him a take it or leave it offer, and he said no, what other path is there?

The whole point of a take it or leave it deal is that there are no other deals and Roquan is not the type of guy to compromise.

If you remember, for his rookie deal, he was making a stand for all rookies, and in his message, he again said if signed it would be bad for the entire LB market. It is a contract to play a game. He is not a player personnel rep, and he doesn't even have an agent. Why is he worrying about others' contracts? Worry about yourself. 

He actually has zero leverage here. He can sit out the entire year, then the Bears can tag him the next year. Losing $1-2M a year on a 5-year deal, when you make $16.5M per year is not much to comprise compared to losing a potential $26M over the next two years ($9.7M for 2022 and potentially $16.5M in 2023) and two of your prime years in the league. The Bears could actually tag him again after that. 

28 minutes ago, adam said:

I am just thinking if the Bears did give him a take it or leave it offer, and he said no, what other path is there?

The whole point of a take it or leave it deal is that there are no other deals and Roquan is not the type of guy to compromise.

If you remember, for his rookie deal, he was making a stand for all rookies, and in his message, he again said if signed it would be bad for the entire LB market. It is a contract to play a game. He is not a player personnel rep, and he doesn't even have an agent. Why is he worrying about others' contracts? Worry about yourself. 

He actually has zero leverage here. He can sit out the entire year, then the Bears can tag him the next year. Losing $1-2M a year on a 5-year deal, when you make $16.5M per year is not much to comprise compared to losing a potential $26M over the next two years ($9.7M for 2022 and potentially $16.5M in 2023) and two of your prime years in the league. The Bears could actually tag him again after that. 

He said it was a take it or leave it offer. We actually have no idea what has been said or exchanged. The major point is he shouldn't be negotiating. He should have an agent. 

You also note he has no leverage here. That is the most important point. They'll eventually reach an agreement. 

Peace

I have quietly maintained that if you rate Smith versus 3 non HOF Bears LBs Doug Buffone, Otis Wilson, Wilbur Marshall and Lance Briggs I don't care what PFF says he has not performed better than the 3 players I mentioned.

I say Poles stand your ground. Smith has been weird every off season since being drafted.

48 minutes ago, adam said:

I am just thinking if the Bears did give him a take it or leave it offer, and he said no, what other path is there?

The whole point of a take it or leave it deal is that there are no other deals and Roquan is not the type of guy to compromise.

If you remember, for his rookie deal, he was making a stand for all rookies, and in his message, he again said if signed it would be bad for the entire LB market. It is a contract to play a game. He is not a player personnel rep, and he doesn't even have an agent. Why is he worrying about others' contracts? Worry about yourself. 

He actually has zero leverage here. He can sit out the entire year, then the Bears can tag him the next year. Losing $1-2M a year on a 5-year deal, when you make $16.5M per year is not much to comprise compared to losing a potential $26M over the next two years ($9.7M for 2022 and potentially $16.5M in 2023) and two of your prime years in the league. The Bears could actually tag him again after that. 

Actually if he doesn't play this year, he doesn't get credit for the year. It starts over again next year, and he doesn't get paid. No wins for Roquan. 

35 minutes ago, Connorbear said:

He said it was a take it or leave it offer. We actually have no idea what has been said or exchanged. The major point is he shouldn't be negotiating. He should have an agent. 

You also note he has no leverage here. That is the most important point. They'll eventually reach an agreement. 

Peace

But who wants a cuckoo kicking up fuss like this?  Linebackers are not a high value position.  I would dump him now for a good trade or draft pick.

3 hours ago, Stinger226 said:

Nelson already was drafted before our pick.

I did not say he wasn't available, I only said that is who I wanted. 

Not the most excited presser.  Seems like he has a price and if Rog. does not see it that way then deal with it I guess.   They control his next three years if they want to.

1 hour ago, Connorbear said:

He said it was a take it or leave it offer. We actually have no idea what has been said or exchanged. The major point is he shouldn't be negotiating. He should have an agent. 

You also note he has no leverage here. That is the most important point. They'll eventually reach an agreement. 

Peace

True, but I felt his statement was odd given that he had no leverage. He still has a year left on his rookie deal. If the team doesn't budge, does he just magically all of a sudden back down and agree after he said the current deal was disrespectful? I just don't think he does. He really backed himself into a corner here. Requesting a trade with one year left on your deal seems a little drastic. 

It's complicated, because players tend to be far more emotional than agents.  Poles even stated that this has been difficult.  Poles also stated that they are intent on signing him and making him happy, but who knows what that is.  With this being Roquan, who is clearly the teams best player, it is vital to future team negotiations to handle this one perfectly.  No agent doesn't help.

1 hour ago, lemonej said:

I have quietly maintained that if you rate Smith versus 3 non HOF Bears LBs Doug Buffone, Otis Wilson, Wilbur Marshall and Lance Briggs I don't care what PFF says he has not performed better than the 3 players I mentioned.

I say Poles stand your ground. Smith has been weird every off season since being drafted.

Rumor is he wants more than what Leonard got to reset the market knowing someone else will get more than him next year. However, to me, he is a notch below Leonard and should not be getting top 3 LB money. If I am Poles, I leave the offer there and allow him to lose his peak 3 yrs to a contract dispute. Most players lose these battles. 

Remember LeVeon Bell? 5 yrs with Pittsburgh, 25 yrs old, back-to-back 1200-yard seasons. Contract dispute, holds out a year, signs with Jets, does make some money from them, but doesn't even make it a 1 year and a half before he is released. Plays one more year for two teams and is out of the league before 30.

I’m not interested in paying a LB big money. Trade him

3 hours ago, Bill said:

Not the most excited presser.  Seems like he has a price and if Rog. does not see it that way then deal with it I guess.   They control his next three years if they want to.

I like this.  Poles did what he could to get ahead or stay just in front of the wave of info.  Not knowing the guy I picked up on a true sense of frustration.  He mentioned “emotions” especially due to Roquan representing himself.  Poles also made it clear (he said it more than once) that he believe the offer they gave was ‘respectful’ and seems put off by it.

Still, and this is the most important piece that he emphasized more than once, his (Poles) goal was to build a successful team and that involves signing (not necessarily trading) Roquan.  He has the interest of the overall health of the team first and getting Roquan signed second.

It should be noted that despite all the contract unrest, Smith is still showing up for practices.   

If this was all bad-faith negotiations by the Bears since April why is Roquan in camp?  Why not seek the trade in May, Jun, or July before camps start?  I don't want to trade him and I'd be ok with a deal just shy of the top deals.  Howevre, with some suggesting we could get a 1st Rd pick in exchange I"d have to consider that.  Finding a top 3-tech and DEs are far more important to this defense than a WLB.  Lance Briggs proved that.  

Its just a negotiating tactic. If they didnt get together, his only option is to play. He would lose this yr if not on the field. and then go free agency. He wants to be the highest paid ILB. I dont want him gone but a top 5 LB , he's not the best. Leonard has 15 sacks, 26 PD, 11 int and 17 forced fumbles. Roquan has 14 sacks, 16 PD, 5 int, and 1 FF. I can see why Poles would not want to pay him the same as Leonard.