Bears linebacker Roquan Smith ready to give it his all this season

Just a few weeks ago there was plenty of drama inside Halas Hall when Roquan Smith publicly demanded to be traded.

Smith threw verbal punches with the tenacity of Mike Tyson, saying that "the new front office regime doesn't value me" and that the Bears "refused to negotiate in good faith."

Now - with the season opener on the horizon - Smith not only remains on the team, but he's practicing. And talking with reporters at his locker stall. And, apparently, ready to give it his all this season.

"It feels amazing being out there with my guys," Smith said after Wednesday's practice. "That's who you do it for ... the guys in this locker room and everybody that supports me. It feels good to just be out there playing the game that you love (and has) done so much for me."

So while a divorce seemed inevitable, now perhaps fences could be mended and a long-term deal could be hammered out down the road.

Granted, it won't be easy. It never is when a player is representing himself. With no agent, it's just the player against the general manager.

Things get said. Feelings can be hurt. And it can be difficult to come back from all that.

"It's human nature when things happen and two sides don't agree on something, it's gonna take a little time," GM Ryan Poles said Thursday. "I've got a lot of faith that that's gonna happen. I'm excited for him."

Smith has one year remaining on his rookie deal that will pay him $9.7 million. If there's no extension, the Bears could place the franchise tag on Smith, which would pay him about $18.3 million next season.

So how is Smith doing?

He was completely at ease in front of his locker Wednesday and had the media cracking up on several occasions.

The best moment came when he was asked if he can flourish in this new defensive system.

"Oh man, I flourish in any defense. It don't matter," Smith said with a wide smile. "Just line me up and tell me a play, and I'm there."

Defensive coordinator Alan Williams believes that's exactly what will happen when the Bears square off against quarterback Trey Lance and the San Francisco 49ers on Sept. 11 at Soldier Field.

"He's full speed. He hits. He's physical. He plays fast," Williams said. "He diagnoses plays sometimes faster than I see them. That's what you want. He instills confidence in the guys just by how he plays.

"I expect to see Roquan Smith (against the Niners) and all the things that come with him."

Smith said it has been easy to put the drama aside, noting that nobody is going to "take the fun away from me."

And that's why these guys started playing football in the first place, right? To have fun.

Of course, it's also a massive business. Players want to be paid as much as possible. GMs want to reward players, but are also trying to put the best team possible on the field.

And that doesn't just mean for one season. A franchise's vision must stretch out for two, three, four and five years.

Not paying Smith now makes a lot of sense when you consider the Bears are almost starting from scratch. It also creates a more motivated athlete. More often than not it seems like a guy's motor is always maxed out when they're one year away from big money.

"I'm not focused on (a new deal), if I'm being completely honest," Smith said. "I don't want to look forward too much to the future or anything like that.

"I'm just focused on having the best year I can with my teammates and going out and playing the game I love. That's what means the most to me."

Which is music to Poles' ears.

"He said it perfectly - we've shifted gears and it's all ball now," Poles said. "He doesn't get enough credit for being able to change gears like that and going out and just playing football and doing it the right way.

"I'm proud of him (for that). He's out there and we're better because of that."