The rebuilding Chicago Bears may be losing one of their best players. All-Pro linebacker Roquan Smith requested a trade from the team on Tuesday.
Smith is in the final year of his rookie contract and is due for a big payday in the offseason. Given the Bears’ situation, the request makes sense.
Could another rebuilding team in the NFC North try to trade for Smith?
TJ Lang and Jon Jansen discussed the possibility of the Lions making a move for Smith on the latest episode of the Necessary Roughness podcast.
“I think you have to,” said Lang. “Any time a player of his stature becomes available you at least have to inquire. A guy who’s still young, going into his fifth-year looking for an extension.”
The guys mentioned that linebacker is one of the weak spots of the Lions roster. At the same time, a linebacker – even one of the best in the league – probably wouldn’t be enough to push the Lions to the next level.
There are layers to a possible trade as well.
“Is this a guy that you’re going to be able to re-sign? Does he want to come to Detroit? Is Chicago going to trade him to a division rival? You have to think about all those things as well,” Lang said. “But if you’re Brad Holmes, look, you at least in my mind have to pick up the phone and make a call.”
The Lions general manager preaches patience and building through the draft, but sometimes players become available via trade that wouldn’t be on the market in free agency. Remember, Holmes made a move for 49ers All-Pro wide receiver Deebo Samuel this offseason prior to trading up in the draft to take Jameson Williams 12th overall.
Holmes said last week that the Lions are "going to stay aggressive" in building out their roster.
"That’s what Dan (Campbell) and I believe in," Holmes said. "We’re not scared, so it’s not a long, methodical, 'Let’s just take it slow.' Look, man, let’s just add the best guys we can."
The Lions do have an extra first-round pick in next year's draft to potentially entice the Bears, who would want a haul of assets and then some to trade their best player to a division rival. Beyond the question of cost, the Lions would have to be certain that Smith is willing to commit to Detroit.
“If you are able to come to an understanding and say, ‘Look, we’ll give you this first-round pick or maybe a second-round pick, but we have to know that he’s willing to sign with us long term,' I wouldn’t have a problem with that,” Lang said. “But that would have to be the deal. You can’t give up a high pick, especially if you’re a team like Detroit that’s not ready to win right now, on a guy that’s gonna help you for one year.”
Asked about the idea of trading draft capital for proven stars, the formula his former team followed to win the Super Bowl last season, Holmes said last week, "You gotta know where you are as a team."
"Coming from LA for so many years, I give (Rams GM) Les Snead so much credit for building a foundation by drafting well and then when you get into a window where you can make some big moves and trade away draft picks and get primetime players, you just gotta know what window you’re in," Holmes said. "And I think Dan and I have great awareness about where we’re at as a team right now. That’s what you have to keep into perspective in terms of patience."
Could Smith help the Lions? No doubt. Could he thrust them into contention in the NFC? Harder to say. But if he has any interest in joining Campbell and the Lions, it's worth it for Holmes to pursue.
“He’s still a relatively young player, he’s only been in the NFL for four years," said Lang. "If you can spend right now – let’s just say the (extra first-rounder) is No. 28 next year – and you’re guaranteed to get an All-Pro linebacker, I think people would be pretty damn happy with that.”
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