Thread: Brian Urlacher says knee improving

Wednesday, May 23, 2012
BBAO: Brian Urlacher's long recovery

---

By Kevin Seifert
ESPN.com

We're Black and Blue All Over:

Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher confirmed Tuesday night that he isn't likely to participate in organized team activities (OTAs) -- and probably not veteran minicamp, either -- as he rehabilitates a sprained knee suffered in a Week 17 game against the Minnesota Vikings. Urlacher told reporters that he expects to be ready to start training camp, a completely reasonable schedule that nevertheless highlights one of the few holes on the team's roster.

Namely: Who would play for Urlacher if he was injured during the regular season?

According to ESPNChicago.com's Jeff Dickerson, second-year linebacker Dom DeCicco -- an undrafted free agent in 2011 -- will take the majority of snaps during the offseason. If nothing else, the Bears should know at the end of the spring whether DeCicco is capable of filling in for Urlacher in a regular-season environment, or whether they would need to look elsewhere. Finding a long-term replacement for Urlacher, 33, remains one of the most important challenges facing this franchise.

Continuing around the NFC North:

• Urlacher, via Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune: "It's getting better. I'm on schedule, so I feel good. At this stage, I know the defense pretty well. I'm not worried about being out there and not knowing what I'm doing.''

I'm not worried about it right now. At his age he's gonna take a little longer to heal and there's no reason to rush it. The defense will be the same as it's always been so there's nothing to learn. Keep him rested until camp and then let him work on a limited basis just to get his game speed back up again.

Apparently the rest of the Bears fans aren't too concerned either. In that poll the Trib ran 64% said they weren't worried and only 34% said they were. If that was a Presidential election they'd call it a landslide.

Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

Hopefully he is a 100% when it matters. Sure does seem like he's not healing as fast as he should. Maybe he should quit chasing Jenny McCarthy and stay off that wheel.

Maybe Jenny needs to slow down and not run so fast. LOL

What this is telling us is that his legendary recuperative powers are beginning to fade as he ages. We need to start planning for life without him and look for his replacement but if he plans on playing another three years or so we can't really spend a high pick on a replacement now and sit him. We'd need to find a guy who could play the "Sam" spot and learn beside the master.

Originally Posted by BigBadPapaBear

haha

You know Soul I don't even want to think about watching a game without Urlacher back there. Its going to be real weird not seeing him in uniform one day. He's been a great player for a very long time.

Yeah but you know I felt that way with Singletary, and Danimal and McMichael and Payton too. For a while there I just couldn't picture the Bears without him. It'll be strange when he goes but all good things must come to an end.