Bear Necessities: Cordarrelle Patterson wants Roquan Smith to join Falcons

OK, Cordarrelle, we get it. You want Roquan Smith. There are no shortage of teams that do.

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I’m sure Bears fans remember Cordarrelle Patterson well. Patterson, a two-time All-Pro with Chicago, was the league’s best return specialist and all-around playmaker. Not to mention he was a lovable guy.

But if you also remember, Patterson also took on the role of recruiter, where he wasn’t shy about trying to get players to come to the Bears.

Now, with the Falcons, Patterson is doing the same. Sort of.

When news broke that star linebacker Roquan Smith had requested a trade after contract negotiations reached an impasse, it didn’t take Patterson long to suggest Smith come home to Georgia, where he played college ball for the Bulldogs.

Patterson took to Twitter to not-so-subtly put it out there: “Roquan Smith is the tweet!!!!”

He also changed his profile picture to an image of Smith during his college days at Georgia.

OK, Cordarrelle, we get it. You want Smith. I’m sure there are no shortage of teams that do.

But the hope is the Bears, under new general manager Ryan Poles, and Smith manage to come to an agreement, as Smith has previously expressed his desire to play his entire career in Chicago.

Not that Smith can choose where he ends up — barring signing an extension with Chicago — in a potential trade. But that didn’t stop Patterson for putting the idea out there for Falcons brass, which happens to include former Bears general manager Ryan Pace, who drafted Smith back in 2018.

The Falcons have signed a lot of former Bears this offseason since Pace joined the front office. If there was anyone who would be interested in Smith — and willing to pay a high price — it’s Pace. Patterson was just reminding his former GM as much.

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