BOURBONNAIS — Missing all of training camp has limited how effective rookie linebacker Roquan Smith can be in Week 1, Bears coach Matt Nagy said Sunday — the 28th day of Smith’s contract standoff.
‘‘I would say so; I think it does,’’ Nagy said after the Bears’ final practice at Olivet Nazarene University. ‘‘You’re playing at that position, and there are a lot of calls that go on. Very similar to a quarterback, there’s a lot going on.
‘‘But I have full confidence in [defensive coordinator] Vic [Fangio] and his staff that, when [Smith] does get here, they’ll get him up to speed. Whenever that is, we’ll see. That’s why we all get paid as coaches — to try to help our players out as much as possible — and that’s kind of where we’re at.’’
The Bears and Smith, the No. 8 overall pick in the draft, are at odds about whether the team will be able to void guarantees in his contract for specific on-field actions that lead to suspension.
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‘‘I’m sure he’s frustrated because he wants to be here,’’ linebacker Danny Trevathan said. ‘‘It’s more of him not knowing what to do. Being young, you want to get here for your team, but you want to make the right decision. You only get one chance to do this, so you want to do it the right away.”
Trevathan said he has been in contact with Smith, who was drafted out of Georgia to start next to him.
‘‘I’ve just been trying to make sure he keeps his right and he just keeps being Roquan,’’ Trevathan said. ‘‘ ‘Ro’, man, you can’t let people change you. But you’ve got to make the right decisions for you. The team misses you, but you have to do what’s in front of you.’ ’’
