5 Players the Chicago Bears could sell off at NFL trade deadline
Chicago Bears 2022 Trade Candidate: Roquan Smith, LB
Finally, the big trade chip could be Roquan Smith. Smith has looked great for the most part this season. Smith currently leads the NFL with 46 combined tackles. That’s an average of 11.5 tackles per game. Smith also has an interception that sealed the Bears’ win over the Texans in Week 3. Pro Football Reference has him down for two tackles for loss but I know that’s not accurate. He had three alone in that Houston game.
Not many teams are going to be willing to trade the farm for an off-the-ball linebacker who also wants to be the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. That said, if Ryan Poles doesn’t value Smith to the point of making this union work, then it only makes sense for him to try and receive the largest return he can for him.
I have no idea which team would be willing to make a move like this or what his return would be. I know I would want a first-round pick for him and I think fans would agree he’s worth that and more. However, when it comes to actual NFL value, not many teams are going to be willing to give up that type of draft capital plus turn around and pay him. The Cowboys are a team that might, but there probably aren’t more than a handful of teams willing to make a move of this magnitude. Ryan Poles has to at least field calls regarding the matter.