At this time next week, we’ll be discussing the Chicago Bears’ first first-round pick since taking Roquan Smith in the 2018 NFL Draft. That is, of course, unless the Bears trade out of the first round.
• Speaking of Roquan Smith, he won the Ed Block Courage Award. It’s always neat to see really good players win awards that honor things they do off the field.
• It will soon be time to pivot to the future when talking about Smith. More specifically, Smith’s long-term future with the team. I see that ESPN’s Jake Trotter reports the Browns are picking up he fifth-year option on Baker Mayfield’s deal. The first overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft will make $18.858 million on the fifth year of his rookie deal. If you’ll recall, this class of rookies is the first wherein the fifth-year option is fully guaranteed. In other words, teams can’t do what the Bears did with Leonard Floyd and pick up a player’s fifth-year option, only to cut him before that option season and create cap space at the end of the process. Once your team picks up the option, it is tied to that player.