The standoff between the Chicago Bears and Roquan Smith over contract negotiations took another turn Monday when the NFL management council sent a memo to all 32 teams.
The management council was told by the NFL Players Association that a person by the name of Saint Omni, who is not an NFLPA certified agent, is contacting clubs indicating that he is representing Roquan Smith.
According to the memo, Mr. Omni is not allowed to negotiate player contracts or discuss potential trades on behalf of any player or prospective player.
Smith asked for a trade after failing to work out a contract extension with the Bears. The offer from Chicago is bad for the entire LB market if I sign it.
Bears general manager Ryan Poles reiterated his desire to work out a deal with Smith and said the front office had given an offer with record-setting pieces.
Smith is not a client of any of the agents.
There was no one at practice Monday. Smith was put on the physically unable to perform list after reporting to training camp. He was activated from the PUP list on Wednesday, but didn't participate in practice the next day or in the preseason game against Kansas City.
According to the NFL's collective bargaining agreement, player contracts are to be negotiated only with the player if he is acting on his own behalf, or with his NFLPA-certified agent.
The league's anti-tampering policy states that no club is allowed to negotiate with a player under contract to another club or discuss a potential trade without the player's written permission.
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