Bears want Brian Urlacher at much cheaper price

Brian Urlacher could remain with Bears for less money

Brian Urlacher is a prime example of the time that comes in an athletes career when the end of the rainbow does not always represent a pot of gold.

Urlacher, who has played his entire 13-year career with the Chicago Bears, is a free agent heading into this next season, and GM Phil Emery and Coach Marc Trestman have some serious financial and personnel decisions to make about the all-pro linebacker’s future with the team.

From the Chicago Sun-Times…

The Bears can inflate the second year of a deal to whatever number they want because it means virtually nothing. If he gets a $2 million signing bonus, which is guaranteed, they can spread the cap hit over the duration of the deal. The veteran minimum for a player with Urlacher’s experience is $940,000. Between the proration and the base salary, the cap number is already pushing $2 million.

The bottom line, is that it always comes down to the numbers. The fact that Urlacher’s list of career accomplishments (i.e., 8 Pro Bowl appearances) will likely land him in the Hall of Fame, doesn’t really matter in the BUSINESS of sports.

Its nice that the Bears acknowledge his importance to the team’s overall success, but its shameful that cap space (and age) will decide his fate.

Bears fans, including myself, want to see Urlacher in blue and orange until he retires.

Basically, the Bears front office needs to “make it work!” (Tim Gunn voice)

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