AP Picture/Nam Y. Huh
ESPN wasn’t as complementary concerning the commerce as different shops have been contemplating Smith’s worth to the Bears protection.
The Bears had to commerce Robert Quinn. They didn’t have to commerce Smith, nevertheless it was near that.
Smith might have been franchised and/or signed to a long-term deal after this season, however the Bears are rebuilding, that means that the worth Smith provides over the second half of this season is price much more to a present contender than it’s to the Bears. Plus, Smith already requested a commerce away from Chicago in August. It was higher to money in now.
It’s a smaller issue, however I do assume it’s fascinating and never very best that the Bears have picked up the wage tab in each the Quinn deal and the Smith commerce for the remainder of 2022. It may well grease the wheels to get issues accomplished, nevertheless it means sacrificing a traditional perk of a teardown. In dealing gamers you normally rack up draft picks and save cap house to roll into seasons when you find yourself contending.
Nonetheless, gaining a second-round choose is beneficial for a staff that’s going to want so as to add younger expertise to its roster. And for the Bears, a second-round choose now’s positively higher than the prospect of a third-round compensatory choose had Smith walked after the season. The choose retains them versatile without spending a dime company and offers them a further choose now to get their rebuild going.
