Breaking News: Chicago Bears and Brian Urlacher to Part Ways
Published by Alexander Crowe on March 20, 2013
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
It’s been 13 years since Brian Urlacher came to Chicago, and on Wednesday, those 13 years officially came to a close.
According to ESPNChicago.com, Bears general manager Phil Emery said in a statement, “We were unable to reach an agreement with Brian and both sides have decided to move forward.”
In his career with the Bears, Urlacher has played in 182 games, gotten 41.5 sacks, 22 interceptions and recorded 1,229 combined tackles. Urlacher has also made the Pro Bowl eight times, the most recent coming in 2011.
According to Vaughn McClure of the Chicago Tribune, the Bears gave Urlacher a take it or leave it offer of one year, $2 million.
This means Chicago must now go on without Nick Roach or Brian Urlacher, both of who played the middle linebacker position last season. Roach and the Oakland Raiders agreed to a deal earlier this week.
The Bears are now either going to have to draft a linebacker early on or pursue someone in free agency that they feel would be good to fill the spot.
The team does return Lance Briggs to the linebacking core, a player who has made it to seven Pro Bowls, his most recent coming with Urlacher’s back in 2011.
Urlacher would’ve needed to take a significant pay cut to play in Chicago in 2013, with the team signing Pro Bowl left tackle Jermon Bushrod and tight end Martellus Bennett.
It’s been reported that Urlacher was talking with the Vikings earlier this week, and there have also been talks rumored with the Cowboys and Cardinals.
If this really is the end for Urlacher in Chicago, then it’s the end of an era that will never be forgotten. No matter where he may end up, Brian Urlacher will, as Bears owner Virginia McCaskey said, “He will always be a part of the Bears family.”
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