Ravens' Roquan Smith says Bears GM told him there were no plans to trade him

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Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith opened up about his departure from the Chicago Bears in a recent interview and claimed he was told he wasn’t going to be traded.

Smith told The Athletic in a story published Wednesday that he was called into new general manager Ryan Poles’ office right after he took over the position and was told the defense would be built around him, which would come with a lucrative contract. 

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Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett is tackled by Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. Picket left the game under concussion protocol. (AP Photo/Fred Vuich)

According to the report, contract negotiations didn’t go as planned and Smith was moved to weakside linebacker, leading him to avoid practice and request a trade.

"I thought Poles would ship me out, but he told me numerous times, ‘I don’t plan to trade you at all,’" Smith told The Athletic. "So I was like, ‘I guess I won’t be going anywhere.’ He said we’d talk at the end of the season."

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Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith tackles Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Fred Vuich)

Smith started for the Bears in each of their first nine games, picking up 2.5 sacks and 83 tackles. The Ravens came calling right after the Bears defeated the New England Patriots and wondered if Chicago would be willing to trade Smith and eat a few years of his contract.

Chicago got a 2023 second-round and fifth-round draft pick in the deal. Smith got a new opportunity to start for a historically great Ravens defense and has been thriving with the team ever since.

Baltimore Ravens linebacker Roquan Smith meets with reporters after the Pittsburgh Steelers game, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Don Wright)

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This season in total, Smith has 119 tackles and 4.5 sacks. Baltimore is coming off a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and is ranked No. 8 in points allowed and No. 12 in yards allowed.