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Sam Darnold having signed his contract with the rookies, there remains only one rookie of 2018, the Chicago Bears linebacker, Roquan Smith.
While Darnold missed fewer than a handful of Jets practices, Smith has already missed nine training camp sessions for the Bears – Chicago having played in the Hall of Fame on Thursday, August 2, the Bears started the camp early.
Speaking of stalemate with Smith for the first time since the opening of the Bears camp, general manager Ryan Pace was rather unobtrusive on the subject.
"It's obviously a big subject right now," Pace told WMVP-AM 1000 Monday, via the Chicago Tribune. "And for us, they are important and critical representatives acting now, but we do not feel that we should do it publicly in the slightest details, but we have a lot of respect for him. obviously and a lot of respect for its agents, and it's just a matter of work. "
Pace repeatedly refused to go into details about the hold-up on Smith's contract, why the parties can not find a ground of agreement on the few negotiable issues, or elaborate on the position of the team.
A problem that prevents Smith from going to the camp is the fear that the new helmet rule will increase the likelihood that the linebacker can be suspended, which would allow Erase the guarantees of his contract.
"We all work at that," said Pace. "It's a bit new to all of us." Mike Garafolo of NFL Network noted at the # 39th edition of Inside Training Camp Live that the Bears did not cancel the guarantees of Danny Trevathan after his suspension for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Davante Adams last season. for the player's agent, get these assurances in writing is always a ge
As for Smith's extended absence, he will surely miss the Thursday's HOF match, and may not even make the second Bears pre-season game even though he signs it soon – Pace says that He is not worried about the missed time that hurts the linebacker's chances. to win a starting concert.
"We wrote it for many reasons," said Pace. "But one of the reasons was his football makeup and his football intelligence, which is really off the charts, so it's a guy who takes things quickly."
Bears corner Prince Amukamara, who himself was the longest draft contract in 2011 by the New York Giants, said he recently spoke to Smith and knows that linebacker will be ready to sign his contract.
"I spoke to Roquan yesterday and he is working on his buttocks," Amukamara said. "He's training hard, I told him," Hey, I was in the same position, you have to trust the process and trust the agent with whom you are. "I'm sure both sides are close and both parties want to do something, let's hope this happens soon."
"After what everyone has seen at OTA, he has an engine. He is definitely a pro. I'm not saying that he understood, but he's definitely disciplined, so I'm sure he's busy doing business. "
Now, the team and Smith's agent have to occupy the contract and have the rookie camp before the tents retreat to Bourbonnais, Illinois.
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