The Chicago Bears activated unhappy linebacker Roquan Smith from the physically unable to perform list Wednesday.
The move allows the club to fine Smith $40,000 per day for skipping practice.
Smith, 25, went public with his request to be traded earlier this week, saying the Bears are “trying to take advantage of me” and “left me no choice” but to seek a trade.
Being on the PUP list requires teams to pay players their full salary while on it. Removing Smith from the list declares that he’s healthy enough to practice. If Smith continues his hold-in, attending meetings but not practicing, the Bears can slap him with daily fines.
It was never clear what Smith’s injury was in the first place.
Smith is set to earn $9.7 million this season on the final year of his rookie contract. He was placed on the PUP list when he reported to training camp last month.
Bears first-year general manager Ryan Poles addressed Smith’s trade request with reporters on Tuesday afternoon.
“Right now, my intentions are to sign Roquan to this team,” Poles said. “… My intentions are to make sure Roquan Smith is on this team.”
Smith had at least 100 tackles in each of his first four NFL seasons since being drafted with the eighth overall pick in 2018. He logged a career-high 163 tackles with three sacks and one interception in 17 starts in 2021.
–Field Level Media