Ryan Poles: “My intentions are to make sure Roquan is on this team”

After standout linebacker Roquan Smith requested a trade from the Chicago Bears, new general manager Ryan Poles made sure that his thoughts on the player, and the situation, were made clear.

As it stands, Poles wants to make sure that Smith is a member of the Chicago defense:

https://twitter.com/RapSheet/status/1557063378144821253?s=20&t=qHtErQ9gO_i89sTB-mNj2g

Smith has been “holding in” at Bears camp, as he looks for a new contract from the team. The linebacker is in the final year of his rookie season, with the Bears having exercised the fifth year of his deal. In the above statement released by the linebacker, Smith references the long list of standout defenders in Chicago history. “Walking these hallways the past four years, you can feel the spirit, you feel the pressure to live up to that timeless history, that great legacy. I dreamed of playing like Wilbur Marshall, Singletary, Briggs, Urlacher, Butkus!”

Over his four years in Chicago, Smith has tallied 524 total tackles, along with 14 sacks and five interceptions. He started every game for the Bears the past two seasons, and last year set a career-high mark with 163 total tackles. And, not that it likely matters much, but Smith was named one of the league’s top off-ball linebackers in a survey of league executives, coaches, and players. He also was well inside Touchdown Wire’s list of the top linebackers in the NFL today.

Story originally appeared on Touchdown Wire