Aug 9, 2022 4 min read

Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles plans to continue to work for a contract extension with linebacker Roquan Smith instead of his request to be traded.

Smith, who is under contract through the 2022 season, is staging a “hold-in” and attending practices without actually practicing until he gets an extension, but Tuesday he made public an official request for a trade.

“Right now my intentions are to sign Roquan to this team,” Poles said after the Bears held a Tuesday practice at Soldier Field. “And we’re going to take it day by day. At the end of the day we’ve got to do what’s best for this organization. But my intentions are to make sure Roquan Smith’s on this team.”

Smith practiced with the team throughout the offseason voluntary and mandatory work, but was not participating on the field when training camp began.

“Unfortunately the new front office regime doesn’t value me here,” Smith wrote on Twitter. “They’ve refused to negotiate in good faith, every step of the journey has been ‘take it or leave it.’

Smith does not have an agent and is trying to negotiate for himself.

Broncos sale gets OK: The record $4.65 billion sale of the Denver Broncos to Walmart heir Rob Walton and his daughter and son-in-law was unanimously approved by NFL owners, the expected final step in the transfer from the family of the late Pat Bowlen.

The vote was taken at a league meeting at a hotel in Minnesota, where Walton, his daughter, Carrie Walton Penner, and her husband, Greg Penner, were introduced to the media by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. With an estimated worth of $60 billion, Walton – the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton – becomes the wealthiest owner in the league.

Walton’s group paid the highest price in history for a sports franchise anywhere in the world. His three limited partners are Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton, Starbucks board chair Mellody Hobson and former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Goodell says appeal was right move: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said he feels the league needed to keep pushing for a year-long suspension for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson because of his “egregious” and “predatory behavior” toward women.

Speaking at the owners’ meetings Tuesday in Bloomington, Minn., Goodell addressed the league’s decision to appeal a six-game suspension given to Watson by Sue L. Robinson, a former federal judge appointed by the NFL and NFL Players Association as an independent league disciplinary officer.

Robinson found Watson violated the league’s conduct policy after he was accused by two dozen women of sexual assault or harassment while he played for Houston. Watson has settled 23 of the 24 lawsuits filed by the women, though he has denied any wrongdoing.

The league has been seeking an indefinite suspension and fine for Watson, and felt Robinson’s six-game ban wasn’t enough.

Browns Grant injured: Jakeem Grant Sr.’s first season with the Cleveland Browns changed in an instant. It might be over.

The speedy wide receiver and return specialist likely tore his left Achilles tendon on Tuesday, a tough personal blow and another setback for Cleveland’s return game which he was going to help turn around.

Bengals’ stadium has new name: The home of the Cincinnati Bengals will no longer carry the name of team founder and NFL pioneer Paul Brown.

Paycor, a Cincinnati-based provider of human resources software, has bought the naming rights to the stadium in a deal announced Tuesday. The venue will be known as Paycor Stadium.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the development wasn’t a surprise. Team owner Mike Brown – the 86-year-old son of Paul Brown – told reporters last month that selling the naming rights was necessary for the Bengals to be able to compete as a small-market team.

Commanders fire coach:

Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera has fired defensive line coach Sam Mills III and promoted Jeff Zgonina from his role as defensive line assistant.

Rivera announced the change Tuesday. He hired Mills in January 2020 shortly after taking over in Washington, after Mills served on Rivera’s staff throughout his nine-year tenure as the Carolina Panthers coach.

Lynch arrested:

Former NFL running back Marshawn Lynch was arrested Tuesday in Las Vegas on suspicion of driving impaired, according to police.

Officers stopped the vehicle that Lynch, 36, was driving at about 7:30 a.m., concluded that he was impaired and detained him, police said in a statement.

Lynch was booked into the Las Vegas City Jail on suspicion of driving under the influence, the statement said.

Lynch played 12 season the NFL, mostly with the Seattle Seahawks.