Chicago Bears: 5 major impacts of Roquan Smith holdout
By Ryan Heckman
With Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith the final rookie unsigned, there are several significant impacts being made on the team right now.
These are unfamiliar waters for Chicago Bears fans. Usually, this team is one of the very first to have all of their draft picks signed. The Bears have been one of the most efficient in doing so for years now, which has given them one less thing to worry about going into training camp and preseason.
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Right now, what the Bears are dealing with in terms of the Roquan Smith holdout is not only newsworthy and unfamiliar for fans, but it’s newsworthy for the entire NFL. The rest of the league and future players are paying attention to this outcome very carefully, believe you me.
Smith, the no. 8 pick out of Georgia in this year’s draft, is represented by the same agency as former no. 3 overall pick Joey Bosa. If you remember, Bosa held out until late August back in 2016. So, in a way, this shouldn’t be too surprising.
The difference between Bosa and Smith’s situation, though, is that the NFL introduced a new rule this year which will greatly affect how defenders play the game. Leading with the crown of the helmet is now a major punishable offense; potentially leading to not just a penalty, but an ejection, suspension and/or fine.
With Smith holding out so long, there are many impacts. Believe it or not, one could look at some impacts in a positive way — as tough as that might be to imagine. Let’s dive into five major impacts of what could be a historical holdout.