NFL teams that are attractive landing spots for Roquan Smith

Former Georgia football star linebacker Roquan Smith has requested a trade from the Chicago Bears amid stalled contract negotiations. The linebacker is unhappy with his certain situation, but will this even happen?

Who could trade for Smith? Let’s look at a few franchises that could find a way to get this elite linebacker on their team.

Smith made it clear that he did not want the situation to come to this but doesn’t feel that any extension he has been offered has been fair to him.

After being selected with the eighth overall pick of the 2018 draft, Smith has certainly lived up to expectations. The All-Pro has accumulated 100+ combined tackles in every year of his career thus far and has been a staple of Chicago’s defense. He has also showcased incredible durability, playing more than 1,000 snaps in the last two seasons.

Former Georgia football linebacker Roquan Smith is unhappy with the Bears and wants out.

On Tuesday, Smith allegedly gave reporters a statement to the Bears fanbase stating he requested a trade. He is far too talented not to keep happy, so seeing the information was interesting to read.

It’s clear why Smith feels like he deserves a lucrative extension. Still, the negotiating complications could stem from the fact that Chicago now has entirely different people in charge compared to when he was drafted.

"Unfortunately, the new front office regime doesn’t value me here,” Smith said in his announcement. “They’ve refused to negotiate in good faith, every step of this journey has been “take it or leave it.”"

General manager Ryan Poles and head coach Matt Eberflus got brought in this offseason, and neither was around for Smith’s selection in 2018. Poles has publicly stated his intentions to get an extension done, but with the Bears amid a rebuild, the package of assets that could be acquired in a Smith trade might be more appealing.

Should this rift persist and force Chicago to move the star linebacker, multiple teams could be viable options. Let’s take a look at a few places that could pounce on landing this elite linebacker who would make an immediate impact.

Realistically, almost every team in the AFC West would benefit greatly from acquiring Smith. The entire division has been in a highly competitive arms race all offseason, with the Chargers, Broncos and Raiders all making splash moves to compete with the Chiefs.

Kansas City is the one team that doesn’t have much of a need for him and doesn’t currently have the cap space to make it work without some shuffling being done.

These teams outside Kansas City could benefit from having Smith on their roster.

Las Angeles Chargers

The Chargers would have to maneuver around the salary cap a bit to extend Smith in the event of a trade inevitably. After landing Khalil Mack and J.C Jackson this offseason, Smith could be the final piece of the puzzle to propel the team to Super Bowl contention. If he were to land with the Chargers, that defense could be scary.

Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas has the salary cap room to make the trade work and assets to be traded that could appeal to the rebuilding Bears. With a loaded offense, shoring up the defense could push the team over the top, and with the luck that the Raiders have had with its first-round picks in recent years, it might be better off without them.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos could make a move work with some salary cap adjustments, but trading for Russell Wilson depleted most of the assets to be used in a trade of this magnitude. Denver would likely benefit the most from Smith’s services, and general manager George Paton has clearly built the team to win now. Still, the lack of draft capital could prevent a deal from being made.

Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens would need to employ some salary manipulation to make a deal for Smith to work but would see a significant upgrade in production if it can be pulled off. Josh Bynes is the current starter for Baltimore at 32 years old. With Smith only being 25 years old, he would provide an uptick in play and a resurgence of youth at the position.

Atlanta Falcons

The hometown fans would love to see it. However, the biggest hurdle to clear would be getting rid of Deion Jones’ $20 million cap hit. If Atlanta could get out from under that contract, locking up a star linebacker of the future would be much more feasible, even with the dead money from Julio Jones and Matt Ryan still looming.

Beyond that, the Falcons are projected to have upwards of $130 million in cap space in the 2023 offseason. A Smith extension would cut that number down a bit, but securing an All-Pro linebacker to build around with that kind of money to work with in the coming years could bring Atlanta back to contention sooner than expected.

Chicago Bears

While a trade is a definite possibility, signing an extension to stay with Chicago seems like the most likely scenario.

After requesting the trade, Smith was still present at the Bears’ practice. This bodes well, considering Smith’s stated desire to stay with the Bears for the entirety of his career. If he wanted nothing more than to play for a new team, he likely would have held himself out of practice until his demands were met.

It comes down to whether the front office is willing to make him the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL. Throwing that kind of money around with a rebuilding roster might not be the vision Poles has for the team’s future. Still, Smith is young enough to continue contributing for many years.

A linebacker of his caliber could be a centerpiece of a competitive Bears team in a few seasons, assuming the rebuild was successful elsewhere on the roster. Smith’s play has earned him the type of contract he seeks, and he’ll get it eventually.

Regardless of the team that he suits up for in the future, it will be money well spent as he continues to be a force on defense. Smith is a special player and deserves this kind of money.