Roquan Smith status doubtful for Preseason Week Three
With another limited practice on Thursday, it is beginning to feel more likely that Roquan Smith will not play in the Chicago Bears fourth preseason game
Now that Roquan Smith has joined the Chicago Bears, we have been pondering his much anticipated debut on an NFL football field. Some thought that him showing up early in the week to practice against the Denver Broncos meant that he could be ready to see an NFL field against the Denver Broncos.
That did not come true, and it may have proved to be a good decision. In the practice following the game, Roquan Smith pulled up with a bit of a hamstring injury.
The Chicago Bears have been open in saying that they are handling the situation with the upmost caution. The minute coaches saw Smith pull up, they blew the play dead and got him off of the field. Matt Nagy and crew has been optimistic about the severity of the injury, and Smith has done workouts on the side during practice this week.
However, with limited reps having pads on, and such inexperience in the NFL and with the team, it is starting to sound as though Smith will be on the sideline for yet another week.
Sounds like #Bears LB Roquan Smith won't play Saturday. Matt Nagy won't say it outright, but that, "realistically, it would be hard" for him to improve in time.
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) August 23, 2018
The Chicago Bears have not made it official, but I will for you, he is not playing. With this being the dress rehearsal, tomorrow would just be a walk through. There will be no hitting. Smith is not going from a week off of hitting to live game action for his first preseason game. The team already mentioned the caution.
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One thing that is worth noting is that Nagy did not turn down the idea that Roquan Smith could get some snaps in the fifth preseason game.
He said that, if healthy, Roquan Smith could play in the fifth preseason game vs #Bills, though. https://t.co/JYa5oYq4iU
— Patrick Finley (@patrickfinley) August 23, 2018
On the cover, this sounds unlikely. After the third preseason game, the team usually breaks off and players who are involved in the Week One game plan will begin to prepare for Week One. Players who are fighting for their roster lives begin to prepare for the last preseason game.
Even if Roquan Smith is not thrown into the starting role thanks to Nick Kwiatkoski and his efficient play, you have to assume that Smith will have some role in the gameplan that week. At the very least, getting Smith adjusted to what a normal regular season week looks like will be vital. He is not going to be preparing for that game like the others playing in that game.
Still, he is a special case due to his circumstances. If the team does want him to be involved in Week One, they would love for him to at least have some type of NFL snaps under his belt first. With how little preparation actually needs to be put into that game, and the difference in talent between Smith and his peers, it is possible that he could see a series or two to dust of the rust and see the speed of the NFL.
That, of course, will depend on him getting healthier over the next few days. However, with Nagy leaving that light on for Smith in the preseason, it still feels as though they do not feel overly worried.