Friend or Foe: Roquan Smith May Land in NFC East, Just Not With Commanders

In need of a linebacker addition, could Washington see an attractive option head to a divisional rival?

Roquan Smith wants out of the Chicago Bears organization after the player and team failed to agree on a contract extension, and the odds seem long he'll land with the Washington Commanders at this point. 

To begin, Smith is in search of a new deal, and if he's aiming to be the highest-paid linebacker in the NFL, that number is at or north of $20 million per year.

Beyond that, there's the issue of trade compensation. 

Smith isn't even 26 years old yet, and thinking it'll take a package including at least one first-round pick is realistic.

So, what if he doesn't come to the Commanders? 

Well, according to Bleacher Report, if he isn't in Washington next he could still be landing in the NFC East. 

"(Dallas) enters each season with one goal in mind: winning the Super Bowl," says Bleacher Report. "Jerry Jones has never been even a little bit shy about making splash moves, either...After suffering numerous injuries, Leighton Vander Esch doesn't have the range he once did. Jabril Cox is a Day 3 pick coming off an ACL tear. Pairing Smith and Parsons would give Dallas the most formidable duo of inside linebackers in the league—and potentially shift the balance of power back in their favor in the NFC East."

The Las Vegas Raiders and Los Angeles Chargers are two other teams the site believes could land Smith as an addition to their rosters. 

It would certainly be less impactful on the Commanders directly if Smith landed with one of those AFC West teams, but anyone who wants to see this team do well will surely prefer to see him wearing burgundy and gold over any other colors.