Roquan Smith makes everyone forget about the holdout

The Chicago Bears drafted Roquan Smith with the sixth overall pick of this year’s NFL Draft. They hope he continues the long lineage of Bears linebackers who make an impact in the history of the league. The Bears have been looking for one since newly minted Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher manned the field for them.

Smith is a former high school wide receiver who converted to linebacker. He retained his elite athletic ability and still has the speed (he ran a 4.51 40 yard dash at the NFL Combine). He has the tools to take on tight ends and slot receivers. While he is a little undersized, he has the ability to slip past blockers and quickness to get away before they grab him.

The franchise and its fans were elated at having such a prospect on the roster. Some of that joy went away, however, when Smith and the Bears got into a contract haggle. At first, it was just a little thing that would be taken care of quickly. However, days came and days went but Smith still wasn’t signed. After a while, Smith missed rookie camp and eventually the start of training camp. Then he missed all of training camp and two preseason games.

All the happiness that came with the draft started to wane. Fans were starting to get upset at the dispute. Some were upset with the Bears, others with Smith. It looked like neither side would blink. The contract was finally done, though, and Smith finally reported.

Now Smith is ready to take on the opposition and show why the Bears drafted him. At the end of the year, fans will forget about what happened early on and be happy for the future.

Prediction: 110 tackles, 8 passes defended, 3 interceptions, 3 forced fumbles, All-Rookie Team.

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