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Chicago Bears sign Roquan Smith to rookie deal

By George Stockburger

ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: Roquan Smith of Georgia poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked #8 overall by the Chicago Bears during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TX - APRIL 26: Roquan Smith of Georgia poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after being picked #8 overall by the Chicago Bears during the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at AT&T Stadium on April 26, 2018 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /
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Every NFL draft pick has been signed now that the Chicago Bears have Smith signed

After weeks of contract negotiations and arguing offset language the Chicago Bears and rookie linebacker Roquan Smith have agreed to a four-year contract with a fifth-year option.

With Smith, the eighth-overall pick out of Georgia, now signed, each of the 256 players drafted during the 2018 NFL Draft have a contract.

Reports were that Chicago and Smith were negotiating whether he’d lose money for fines relating to the new helmet/tackle rule that’s plagued the NFL preseason.

Chicago desperately needed to get Smith into camp and back onto the field for the final three preseason games. The starting middle linebacker positions in Chicago are currently held by Danny Trevathan and Nick Kwiatkoski, but Smith should get a hold on one of those jobs relatively early in the season, if not later in the preseason.

There’s a lot of hype surrounding this Chicago team coming out of the preseason with all the talent brought in around second-year quarterback Mitch Trubisky. With Matt Nagy now leading the coaching staff there’s a greater emphasis on developing Trubisky into a franchise quarterback.

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Through free agency the Bears added Allen Robinson and Trey Burton to beef up a receivers room that’s been decimated by injuries. Cameron Meredith departed after his injury-plagued season and former first-round pick Kevin White is looking to stay on the roster once final cuts come down.

Running back Jordan Howard returns as well, and backup Tarik Cohen will be counted on heavily after a productive season last year in Chi-Town. Their success could be led by a new starting guard, rookie James Daniels, paired with Cody Whitehair on the inside.

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Chicago continues their preseason action with their third of five preseason games, thanks to the Hall of Fame Game, with a trip to Denver.

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