Roquan

Smith

Oweh returned from a four-game absence because of the ankle issue last week. He played a limited role but tallied one sack and forced a fumble. He was added to the injury report as a limited participant on Thursday before being downgraded to a DNP on Friday. His status for Week 8 is shaky at best. Roquan Smith, who missed Wednesday’s practice with a shoulder issue, is good to go.

Smith did not show a major indication of injury during Sunday’s win against the Lions, but starts the week missing practice with an apparent shoulder injury. He is the Ravens’ top linebacker and centerpiece of their defense. Losing Smith would be a big hit to the Ravens defense for Week 8 against the Cardinals and his status is worth monitoring throughout the week.

After acquiring Smith near the trade deadline for a second-round pick, they hand him a record-breaking extension. Smith’s reported guaranteed money is tops at the off-ball linebacker position, slightly higher than the $43 million C.J. Mosley got when he left the Ravens to join the Jets. Smith finished the season with an 84.7 PFF grade for the Ravens and keyed a defensive turnaround for the unit. He’ll be a linchpin for the Ravens going forward. Taking care of their second-biggest free-agent-to-be also frees up Baltimore to use the franchise tag on Lamar Jackson should they desire.

The Bears have now traded a key member of their defense in back-to-back weeks, after trading defensive end Robert Quinn to the Eagles last week. Smith, has appeared in all eight games for the Bears this season, totaling 83 tackles, four TFLs and 2.5 sacks. The former No. 8 overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft is a two-time Second-team All-Pro (2020, 2021) and is in the final year of his rookie contract. Baltimore will likely look to re-sign Smith next offseason, but will also need to work out a long-overdue deal with quarterback Lamar Jackson. The Ravens also sent linebacker A.J. Klein to the Bears in exchange for Smith.

Smith didn’t practice all week, but the Bears are still playing him. Meanwhile, CB Jaylon Johnson (quad), a surprise DNP on Friday is out. Also inactive for the Bears are WR Velus Jones (hamstring), S Dane Cruikshank (hamstring), TE Ryan Griffin (Achilles), LB Matt Adams (hamstring), and OL Ja’Tyre Carter. The only interesting name here from a fantasy perspective is Jones, who hasn’t played in any of the first three contests of the season and has barely practiced with a long-term hamstring injury.

Smith didn’t practice all week with the hip injury. We’d consider him on the pessimistic side of questionable. If he’s out, it’s another red flag for a Bears defense that struggled to stop Aaron Jones on Sunday. It’s also a very interesting situation for suddenly volume-heavy Texans back Dameon Pierce to find himself in on Sunday.

Smith has missed back-to-back days with a hip injury. Chicago DC Alan Williams seemed upbeat on the possibility that Smith would play on Sunday when he talked about it Thursday, but Smith is likely closer to questionable at this point. If he can’t go, it’s an upgrade for Texans runner Dameon Pierce, who was already an enticing play against a Bears defense that let Aaron Jones run wild on them last Sunday.

Unhappy with the progress of contract negotiations, Smith this month requested a trade. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Smith now plans on playing out his deal, which expires at the end of 2022. Smith was “holding in” at Bears practice after being medically cleared on August 11. Smith, 25, had 163 tackles, three sacks, and 12 tackles for a loss in 2021. He’ll be a major asset for whichever team lands him in 2023. The Bears front office continues to make baffling decisions in an ugly rebuild.

In other words, Smith is “holding in” after requesting a trade. “He was cleared by our medical staff as healthy and he did not practice,” coach Matt Eberflus said. “The reason why for that is you have to ask him. We expect all of our healthy players to practice. And that was his decision. You’ll have to ask him.” Eberflus’ comments were not particularly diplomatic, and hint this dispute could be about to get nasty.

Smith, 25 is slated to play the 2022 season under his fifth-year option, which would net him $9.7 million. In a statement, he called out the new Chicago front office for failing to negotiate in good faith and not valuing him as a player. The team’s latest offer, Smith said, would not just be bad for him, but for every linebacker in the NFL. The offer is reportedly backloaded and filled with de-escalators that could cost Smith serious money. Smith is a force in the middle of the field, totaling 163 tackles, three sacks, and 12 tackles for a loss in 2021. It appears unlikely he’ll be in a Bears uniform this season. The team’s new front office, headed by general manager Ryan Poles, is off to the rockiest start possible.