When Roquan Smith stepped in entrance of reporters Saturday afternoon after his first apply of coaching camp, the Chicago Bears linebacker mentioned he has as a lot on the road as perhaps any participant on the workforce this season.
“Betting on myself,” Smith mentioned upon ending his 3½-week “hold-in.”
In taking part in out his fifth 12 months with the Bears after failed contract negotiations with normal supervisor Ryan Poles, Smith leads our listing of 5 returning Bears gamers who face huge questions this season.
1. Will Roquan Smith earn the payday he desires in his fifth season?
Because the Bears inched nearer to the season, Smith didn’t see his state of affairs altering within the weeks forward. He and the Bears weren’t in settlement on a brand new deal. The Bears declined to commerce him, he mentioned. And Smith knew with out both of these strikes in place, he wanted to prepare for a vital season for his future.
So Smith returned to apply over the weekend along with his consideration turned away from negotiations and towards soccer and what he can do to persuade the Bears — or one other workforce — he’s value the kind of contract he desires. The Bears would have the choice to make use of the franchise tag on Smith in 2023, however he famous that must be “a pleasant quantity subsequent 12 months.”
Smith, the No. 8 decide within the 2018 draft, was a second-team All-Professional in every of the final two seasons, a span through which he totaled 302 tackles, 30 tackles for a loss, 10 quarterback hits, seven sacks, 10 passes defended, a compelled fumble and three interceptions, together with a pick-six.
By not settling for the Bears’ supply, he’s betting he cannot solely produce persistently like he did in these seasons, but additionally keep wholesome and make sufficient game-changing performs to be paid as one of many NFL’s high off-the-ball linebackers.
“I’m going to do it the identical manner I’ve all the time finished it: 100 miles an hour and received’t let up,” Smith mentioned.
2. Can an enormous 12 months for David Montgomery result in a brand new contract?
Montgomery is also in a contract season after speeding for two,808 yards and 21 touchdowns and catching 121 passes for 924 yards and three touchdowns in his first three seasons. That included one 1,000-yard speeding season in 2020 and 4 missed video games due to a knee harm in 2021.
There may very well be huge alternatives for Montgomery to thrive in Luke Getsy’s offense. However the 2019 third-round select of Iowa State mentioned he isn’t spending a lot time eager about his subsequent contract.
“It’s going to maintain itself,” Montgomery mentioned. “I ain’t actually frightened about that. I’ve received larger fish to fry. … As a result of on the finish of the day, I’m attempting to play soccer and have enjoyable doing that. All the pieces else will maintain itself. I’ve received no worries on the earth.”
Montgomery enters this season with a brand new view on life.
He was open throughout a media session earlier this month about scuffling with psychological well being the final three seasons. He mentioned he created “pointless pressures” on himself. The information that he has a baby on the way in which precipitated him to talk up that he was hurting, and he described himself as being on a “religious journey” to getting higher.
“It was extra so with myself, not assembly the requirements or the expectations that I placed on myself, going again to creating these pointless pressures for myself,” Montgomery mentioned. “Lots of people don’t perceive being within the NFL, like us as people, we undergo plenty of psychological battles every day, however since we’re athletes and we’re professionals and we get some huge cash, that will get missed.
“However on the finish of the day, we’re nonetheless human beings and other people overlook about that. So for me, for some time, I masked it. I used to be simply in a nasty place mentally, how I used to be life, how I seen it. I used to be sad. But it surely’s on the up and up now, and I’m grateful and I’m blessed that God introduced me right here.”
3. Will the brand new teaching workers assist Justin Fields unlock his potential in 12 months 2?
Not like Smith and Montgomery, Fields’ contract issues aren’t imminent, however no query is extra intertwined with the Bears’ future success. And no participant on the Bears can be watched nearer for indicators of progress underneath Getsy and quarterbacks coach Andrew Janocko.
For Bears coaches, maintaining Fields centered on day by day enchancment is the most effective method to such vital growth.
“It’s one of the vital critiqued positions on the earth — I might say critiqued jobs on the earth,” Janocko mentioned. “So it’s simply doing all of your job, understanding what it takes to achieve success, reemphasizing that daily. Then choosing out little issues daily to enhance on and all the time having a centered space on what we’re going to get higher at at this time.
“Whether or not it’s ft, whether or not it’s timing, whether or not it’s one thing in regards to the X’s and O’s, however having a plan prepared daily to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to get higher at this at this time.’ While you focus in on smaller areas like that, then you definitely see huge jumps.”
In 12 video games and 10 begins as a rookie, Fields accomplished 159 of 270 passes (58.9%) for 1,870 yards with seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and a 73.2 passer ranking. He was sacked 36 occasions and rushed for 420 yards and two touchdowns.
It wasn’t a super begin, partly as a result of Fields opened the season as Andy Dalton’s backup earlier than coaches threw him into the fireplace in Week 3 and since Fields battled harm and sickness later within the 12 months.
However Fields has causes to be looking forward to development this 12 months — from Getsy’s offense that may be higher tailor-made to Fields’ ability set to the teachings discovered from his first season.
“I’m far more comfy simply being within the NFL this 12 months and naturally having performed a 12 months,” Fields mentioned. “I’m simply going to maintain working, maintain stacking days and proceed to get higher on the small particulars each day.”
4. Can Teven Jenkins solidify a beginning spot on the offensive line?
Two weeks in the past, Jenkins may not have made this listing after an undisclosed ailment early in camp and commerce rumors made him seem like the potential odd man out on the road. Now, after his preseason debut at proper guard, it’s honest to marvel if Jenkins can salvage his future with the Bears at that place.
With Braxton Jones, Larry Borom and Riley Reiff competing at sort out, Jenkins moved inside final week, spent two practices at proper guard after which performed there towards the Seattle Seahawks. Bears coach Matt Eberflus mentioned he turned in a “strong” efficiency.
“We have been impressed,” Eberflus mentioned. “He did a pleasant job. Now he’s received to proceed to develop on the place. Like all people else on the workforce, he’s received lots to work on. However he had first outing in there.”
Jenkins, a 2021 second-round decide, hasn’t had a simple begin to his profession, present process again surgical procedure throughout final 12 months’s coaching camp and coming again to play in simply six video games with two begins as a rookie. The odd begin to this camp didn’t assist, however maybe he has discovered a path to creating an affect with the Bears.
“He’s dealt with it like a professional,” Montgomery mentioned. “He doesn’t complain. He involves work daily. I by no means heard him say something destructive in any manner. Each time I discuss to Tev, it’s all the time, ‘I’m attempting to get higher, attempting to enhance myself so I may be the most effective model of myself.’
“That’s tremendous refreshing to see from anyone who dealt with the extent of adversity that he did deal with his first 12 months.”
5. Can Eddie Jackson make the game-changing performs that stood out early in his profession?
Plenty of gamers might have taken this fifth spot, together with tight finish Cole Kmet and large receiver Darnell Mooney, the 2020 draft picks who may very well be in line for large seasons.
However Jackson is an attention-grabbing case. He hasn’t had as a lot success since signing a four-year, $58.4 million contract extension in 2020 and now could be attempting to impress a brand new set of coaches.
He and Eberflus each referred to as this season a “recent begin” for the sixth-year security, who had 10 interceptions in his first three seasons and none in his final two. Jackson additionally had 5 defensive touchdowns in his first two seasons and one since, although he has had some referred to as again due to penalties.
He mentioned earlier in camp that he feels relaxed “mentally, bodily, emotionally” with the coaches, the scheme and the way in which the workforce is working. Can the 28-year-old rejuvenate his profession and positively affect rookie security Jaquan Brisker?
“You'll be able to method this (teaching change) alternative ways,” Jackson mentioned. “You'll be able to method it like, ‘Oh man, right here we go, beginning over.’ You'll be able to method it like, ‘Man, it’s a recent begin, new coaches — I’m all in.’
“I simply really feel just like the years I had, I wasn’t glad with them, didn’t reside as much as expectations and requirements that I set for myself. So to go on the market this 12 months is sort of a entire new begin, entire new season, entire new workforce. I really feel like a rookie coming in once more, simply studying, absorbing this recreation and main my guys the way in which I work and the way in which I do issues.”
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