Devon Smith is the latest Bomber whose frustrations with the club have come to the surface.
According to SEN's Sam Edmund, the 2018 best and fairest winner is 'unsettled and not happy' at Essendon in what shapes as a tumulus off-season for the club.
The former Giant is entering the final season of a four-year deal he signed with the Bombers at the end of 2016.
This week star defender Adam Saad informed the Bombers that he wants to be traded to Carlton, while free agent Joe Daniher declared his intentions to sign with the Brisbane Lions.
Several other Bombers' futures are reportedly also in the balance, most notably Orazio Fantasia, who has been linked to a return to South Australia.
Edmund also reports there are whispers that Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti and Jake Stringer were among those frustrated with the club's 2020 season.
He believes there is a lot of uncertainty throughout the player list currently.
“You’d want to make sure this is the end of the fire and I don’t think it is,” he said.
“Certainly the jungle drums are beating furiously in the sense that there’s more uncertainty at the club, more players exploring their options and more players perhaps part of this ever-increasing disgruntled group.
“I’m hearing whispers Devon Smith is one of those ... whispers around him being unsettled and not happy there. Whether that translates to him lodging a trade request is a very long bow to draw at this point, but certainly some unhappiness with him.”
Smith averaged 18.2 disposals and 3.8 tackles from 16 games in 2020.
