Linebacker Roquan Smith won’t be leaving the Bears as a free agent next year.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Bears are exercising their option on Smith’s contract for the 2022 season.
The eighth overall pick of the 2018 draft will make $9.735 million under the terms of that option. In a change under the Collective Bargaining Agreement put in place last year, that salary is fully guaranteed when the option is exercised.
Smith has started 42 of the 44 regular season games he’s played for Chicago. He has 361 tackles, 11 sacks, four interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Smith also started a playoff game as a rookie, but he missed this January’s postseason loss to the Saints with an elbow injury.