Bears General Manager Ryan Poles traded linebacker Roquan Smith to the Ravens just before the trade deadline, and Smith says Poles was going back on his word.
Smith told TheAthletic.com that Poles told him repeatedly that his future was in Chicago and that they would work out a long-term contract extension.
“I thought Poles would ship me out, but he told me numerous times, ‘I don’t plan to trade you at all,’” Smith said. “So I was like, ‘I guess I won’t be going anywhere.’ He said we’d talk at the end of the season.”
Smith says that shortly after Poles was hired as the Bears’ General Manager early this year, Poles sat down with Smith and told him the Bears’ plan was to build the offense around Justin Fields and the defense around Smith, and that Smith would be getting a “top of the market” contract for off-ball linebackers.
“I took him at his word,” Smith said. “But life happens.”
Smith says the contract Poles ended up offering him was tantamount to “a slap in the face.” Smith becomes an unrestricted free agent in March, when he’ll have the opportunity to see how much more other teams are willing to offer than the Bears were.