There is still a chance that Brian Urlacher could return to the Chicago Bears in 2013, as general manager Phil Emery has refused to completely shut the door on the longtime Bears defensive leader according to Jeff Dickerson. Although Emery said the door wasn't completely shut on Urlacher, he did say that he was focusing on the Bears' current roster for the time being.
Phil Emery refuses to shut door on Brian Urlacher’s return to Bears
Chicago general manager Phil Emery will not completely rule out Brian Urlacher returning to the Bears, but has chosen to focus on the current roster for the time being.
Urlacher has been the face of the Bears for years, playing 182 games with Chicago. Although still a fan favorite, the eight-time Pro Bowl selection is clearly in the twilight of his career. Last season he totaled 68 tackles, seven passes defended, two forced fumbles and one interception returned for a touchdown in 12 games.
Urlacher, a free agent, refused a one-year, $2 million offer in March and the Bears have since signed middle linebackers D.J. Williams and James Anderson. It is unlikely they would increase that offer now that they have signed players who will likely serve as his replacement. At Windy City Gridiron, Steven Schweickert argues that the door for Urlacher has closed and his return could even be a detriment at this point.
At this stage of his career, is Brian Urlacher a better linebacker than D.J. Williams? If not (and I don’t think so), if he did sign for the backup position, how long until the clamoring begins for him to start? Could signing Urlacher hurt the team in that regard?
So, although, Emery hasn’t officially closed the door on Urlacher, all signs still point to his career with the Bears having reached its end.
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