It's official: Bears want Urlacher back

**Henry Burris** · 02-23-2013, 09:39 PM

Not a shocker, but Bears and Brian Urlacher's agents have met here in Indy to discuss a new deal.@AlbertBreer

Emery was clear he would not "slight" Urlacher and there isn't a likely scenario in which they would leave the face of the franchise for more than the last decade in limbo until the draft when they might secure a potential long-term replacement. When the sides talk, maybe they will discuss dollars and how much the Bears are willing to spend. Maybe they will agree to part ways.

Scratch the last sentence now, it would seem.

None of this comes as any surprise, and seeing how they're only saying "next year", I wouldn't rule out a legit addition to the linebacking corp, as we've all seen the defense gets weak when Urlacher's replacement is in, very similar to Jay being out. They also can't completely rely on Urlacher's body, IMO, so there at least has to be a better plan going into next year, if he were to go down.

**soulman** · 02-23-2013, 11:59 PM

Well it all comes down to dollars as much as anything. Somewhere there must be a middle ground that makes both sides happy because the bottom line is that we still need him. We still have no one onboard at this time who can take over that defense the way he can and his presence in the locker would probably be very helpful as Tucker takes over for Marinelli.

It seems almost impossible that they would let him play anywhere else versus finding a way to let him retire as a Bear. I think there may even be some options as far as keeping him with the team in some capacity after he hangs it up. Anyway the day has come for making plans for life without him at the center of the defense but at the very least we need to find an replacement and give that guy time to assimilate the defense before we call it quits with Urlacher.

There has to be a plan and so far I don't really see one or much opportunity to create one on the fly.

**Jimmors** · 02-24-2013, 12:17 AM

They will work out a deal, and Emery will work on finding his heir apparent (if not this draft, definitely next one). This whole thing was just controversy stirred up while we await an official deal.

**Coolhandluke** · 02-24-2013, 11:28 AM

Unless Urlacher accepts the Bears initial offer which would probably be market value,
I would expect them to let him explore FA much like Ray Lewis did a few years back.
And like Lewis, I would expect Brian to return to the Bears as well.

**GermansbombedPH** · 02-24-2013, 02:37 PM

makes sense. I say yes to this and draft a LB that needs more time in the 2nd or 4th

**Riczaj01** · 02-24-2013, 07:27 PM

No suprise, but this again shows how quickly they need to get his replacement in. I agree it's not like you can expect BU to play a full 16 games anymore his bodies been tore up by being on the field so much b/c of a complete lack of O his entire time in Chi-town.

**soulman** · 02-24-2013, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Coolhandluke

Unless Urlacher accepts the Bears initial offer which would probably be market value,
I would expect them to let him explore FA much like Ray Lewis did a few years back.
And like Lewis, I would expect Brian to return to the Bears as well.

Welcome to the board luke!

Good point but the hardest thing right now may be for either side to determine just what market value is. If I'm Phil Emery the first question I'm gonna ask is "so what are you looking for here". What does Brian's "hometown discount" mean in terms of dollars and over how long. One year or two years? I can't see more than two if that.

If Phil is thinking along the lines of the $2.5 mil we gave Izzy on a one year deal last year and Brian is think more like $5.0 then you're absolutely right. They may have to let FA settle it. I truly think both sides want to do what's fair. Brian doesn't want to play elsewhere and the Bears don't want him to leave so one way or the other it gets done at least for 2013.

And now we best get busy planning for life without him. All good things come to an end an his career has lasted longer than most guys at his position. My hat's off to him. He's a pure football player and a real warrior.

**Jimmors** · 02-24-2013, 08:54 PM

Originally Posted by soulman

Welcome to the board luke!

Good point but the hardest thing right now may be for either side to determine just what market value is. If I'm Phil Emery the first question I'm gonna ask is "so what are you looking for here". What does Brian's "hometown discount" mean in terms of dollars and over how long. One year or two years? I can't see more than two if that.

If Phil is thinking along the lines of the $2.5 mil we gave Izzy on a one year deal last year and Brian is think more like $5.0 then you're absolutely right. They may have to let FA settle it. I truly think both sides want to do what's fair. Brian doesn't want to play elsewhere and the Bears don't want him to leave so one way or the other it gets done at least for 2013.

And now we best get busy planning for life without him. All good things come to an end an his career has lasted longer than most guys at his position. My hat's off to him. He's a pure football player and a real warrior.

Dont think there is much, if any, market value for a soon to be 35 year old Tampa-2 MLB coming off of a season in which he was injured.

**soulman** · 02-24-2013, 09:03 PM

I don't know that it gets to that. I was just tossing off the possibility. It's almost like MLB's version of salary arbitration but the market sets the price as opposed to a mediator.

I don't Brian needs the $$$ all that bad and certainly not as badly as he'd like that SB ring. That's all that's stands between him and Ray Lewis now as the greatest MLBs of their era.

**GermansbombedPH** · 02-25-2013, 04:00 AM

They want Roach and BU back. Now it's safe to assume that Emery won't draft a LB with the 1st. It comes down to OL vs TE vs DT if Melton will not come back

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