NFL odds: Lines on Roquan Smith’s next team, from Cowboys to Raiders

Tuesday morning, Chicago Bears linebacker Roquan Smith requested a commerce away from the one skilled crew he has ever recognized. Immediately, followers and bettors have been stirred right into a fury on social media as they speculated the place the stud linebacker would find yourself subsequent. 

Smith was drafted No. 8 within the 2018 NFL Draft and is a two-time second-team All-Professional choice. Since April, he has been negotiating with the Bears on a contract extension, however the two sides have but to agree on phrases. This course of has led to the gifted linebacker feeling unappreciated and disrespected by the crew. Therefore, Tuesday’s social media submit.  

“Sadly, the brand new entrance workplace regime would not worth me right here,” he wrote. “They’ve refused to barter in good religion. Each step of this journey has been ‘take it or depart it.’ The deal despatched to me is one that might be unhealthy for myself, and for the whole LB market if I signed it.”

From a playing perspective, watching the place Roquan lands is necessary as a result of his presence would bolster a contending crew’s Tremendous Bowl and division odds instantly. So in that vein, let’s dive into FOX Bet’s hypothetical odds for the place Smith may find yourself this upcoming season.

ODDS ON ROQUAN SMITH’S NEXT TEAM*

Cowboys: +300 (guess $10 to win $40 complete)
Raiders: +400 (guess $10 to win $50 complete)
Seahawks: 450 (guess $10 to win $55 complete)
Chargers: +600 (guess $10 to win $70 complete)
Dolphins: +700 (guess $10 to win $80 complete)

In his 4 seasons with Chicago, Smith has been a tackling machine, wracking up 524 tackles, 163 of which got here final season when he had the fifth-most within the league. He’s a play disruptor that may equally stifle the run or keep in protection and frustrate the passing lanes. He additionally has a excessive defensive IQ and is taken into account a stud by his friends, as evidenced by his 2020 Sporting Information All-Professional choice, which gamers and executives voted on.

In trying on the odds, FOX Bet sports activities dealer Daniel Montanari doesn’t assume there may be a lot of a marketplace for Smith right now. 

“At this stage of coaching camp, we don’t envisage Roquan Smith to have an enormous commerce market accessible,” the oddsmaker stated. “The buying and selling crew must surrender picks together with realizing Roquan will need a massive payday.”

Placing that apart, Dallas (+300) is the favourite to land Smith. At present sitting at +1800 to win the Tremendous Bowl, touchdown a participant of his caliber can be an enormous boon to America’s Workforce’s probabilities.  Pairing Roquan with Micah Parsons creates a linebacker unit that might trigger havoc within the sparse NFC panorama. 

Would Jerry Jones be prepared to supply up the mixture of draft picks and compensation wanted to amass Smith and signal him to a long-term deal? That’s like asking if the sky is blue. If there may be any probability that the Cowboys can turn out to be stronger contenders, Jones will do all the pieces in his energy to make it occur.

 At +400, the Raiders are additionally within the distinctive place of a contender that might soar up just a few notches by including Smith. Expectations have grown in Vegas with final season’s success and the offseason addition of Davante Adams. Nonetheless, the crew’s run protection is a weak spot, and whereas center linebacker Denzel Perryman is coming off his first All-Professional choice, the cabinet is fairly naked behind him. Including Smith to this squad would instantly bolster the defensive unit and put the league on discover that the Raiders (+4000 to win the Super Bowl at Fox Bet) are going laborious for the title and pushing their chips all-in.

The Los Angeles Chargers (+600) are one other robust contender that might make a splash with Smith at linebacker. Boasting MVP favourite Justin Herbert, the Chargers’ offense is explosive, and the entrance workplace has been intent on increase the opposite facet of the sphere. They already made waves bringing in cornerback J.C. Jackson and Smith’s former Bears teammate, Khalil Mack this offseason.

Buying Roquan would give the Chargers’ already quick Tremendous Bowl odds (+1300) a robust enhance. It’s unsure if LAC has the capital to drag off such a transfer, however GM Tom Telesco will definitely make the decision.   

There’s all the time drama within the NFL, so Smith’s subsequent transfer can be enjoyable to watch. Keep tuned to see which crew he fits up for in 2022!

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