SteelKing728 Posted July 27, 2018 Share Posted July 27, 2018 I already expect the Bears to be better than the Lions this year. I think Detroit finally starts to drop back to the 5-6 win area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted July 27, 2018 Author Share Posted July 27, 2018 Former Bears head coach Dave Wannstedt showed up to the team’s training camp today and blasted rookie linebacker Roquan Smith, whom Wannstedt described as “selfish” for remaining unsigned, almost two weeks after the rest of the Bears’ rookies reported to camp. Wannstedt: “For a rookie to hold out because of some fine print, it’s pretty selfish from an agent standpoint to do that. This kid needs to be here. Physically I’m sure he’s running and doing that stuff, but there’s no substitute for what they’re doing right now, for having the pads on, going through full speed drills with pads on.” https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/07/27/dave-wannstedt-blasts-selfish-roquan-smith/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted July 29, 2018 Author Share Posted July 29, 2018 The NFL’s new rule against initiating contact by lowering the helmet has directly contributed to the lengthy contract dispute between the Bears and their first-round draft pick, linebacker Roquan Smith. Smith could be concerned that if he’s suspended under the new rule, the Bears could void the guarantees in his contract, and Smith and his agents are seeking protections against that. On Saturday at training camp, Bears head coach Matt Nagy confirmed that’s an issue in the lengthy contract dispute. Nagy said Smith’s desire to have financial protections against the helmet rule is “part of the issue with it,” according to the Chicago Sun-Times. https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/07/29/bears-confirm-new-helmet-rule-is-contributing-to-roquan-smiths-holdout/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 I wouldn't trust the McCaskeys either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 The Bears don’t sound optimistic about getting their first-round draft pick on the practice field soon. Bears coach Matt Nagy said today that talks between the team and linebacker Roquan Smith are stuck and going nowhere, although Nagy said he wouldn’t address the issue beyond that. Nagy: “It is at a stalemate, but at the same time I’m not going to get into any more of where it’s at publicly. I don’t think it’s fair to him, I don’t think it’s fair to his agent, I don’t think it’s fair to our organization. We’re going to keep it between us and I think that’s the best thing to do right now.” https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/07/31/matt-nagy-roquan-smith-talks-are-at-a-stalemate/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marshpit23 Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 6 minutes ago, vike daddy said: The Bears don’t sound optimistic about getting their first-round draft pick on the practice field soon. Bears coach Matt Nagy said today that talks between the team and linebacker Roquan Smith are stuck and going nowhere, although Nagy said he wouldn’t address the issue beyond that. Nagy: “It is at a stalemate, but at the same time I’m not going to get into any more of where it’s at publicly. I don’t think it’s fair to him, I don’t think it’s fair to his agent, I don’t think it’s fair to our organization. We’re going to keep it between us and I think that’s the best thing to do right now.” https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/07/31/matt-nagy-roquan-smith-talks-are-at-a-stalemate/ My goodness, how difficult can this be!? Git’er done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SemperFeist Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 This a really bad look for the Bears’ front office. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vike daddy Posted August 1, 2018 Author Share Posted August 1, 2018 Vic Fangio: “Obviously, it’s not advantageous to anybody that he’s not here, and I’ll just leave it at that. Talk to Ryan [Pace, the General Manager] and his salary-cap guys about that. I think he has the potential to be a good player — a really good player. I would have loved to have him here the first day. But we’ll adapt and adjust and get him ready.” https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/08/01/bears-coordinator-roquan-smith-absence-not-advantageous-to-anybody/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 12 hours ago, SemperFeist said: This a really bad look for the Bears’ front office. That's nothing new. That's how the organization has been run for almost 40 years (since the McCaskeys took over). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 From what I’ve heard, it has to do with the new suspensions for unnecessary roughness and targeting. Smith wants to make sure he’s protected from lost earnings due to this. Not much the Bears can really do, honestly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 6 minutes ago, RpMc said: From what I’ve heard, it has to do with the new suspensions for unnecessary roughness and targeting. Smith wants to make sure he’s protected from lost earnings due to this. Not much the Bears can really do, honestly. Sure they could. They could do a better job of writing language in the contract that would offer him some protection (even if it's not the full protection that he's looking for). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 If they’d be willing to set the contract precedent of players being paid during suspension, sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 (edited) 27 minutes ago, RpMc said: If they’d be willing to set the contract precedent of players being paid during suspension, sure. It wouldn't be a precedent-setting contract. The Bears organization has a significant history of being adversarial in their contract negotiations. While they often get their contract done early with their draftees, they are often hard-lined in their ability to resign players...and in this situation, they are already trying to follow some minor precedent in inserting language into a contract that doesn't need to be there and only a handful of other teams do. They aren't required to follow that precedent and by attempting to do so with Smith, are just being hard-headed considering the little amount of money that is guaranteed in rookie contracts in the first place. It's a completely unnecessary move by the Bears. Edit: It should also be noted that the Bills have already inserted language into the contract for their first round pick to protect him from the helmet rule...so that's another reason it wouldn't be a precedent-setting contract, considering it's already been done. Edited August 1, 2018 by swede700 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RpMc Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 Didn’t realize the Bills had already done it, and I was honestly just playing Devil’s advocate. I’ve been a bit bored recently. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swede700 Posted August 1, 2018 Share Posted August 1, 2018 I hear you. This whole drama-free (for the most part) offseason can be boring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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