With word out of Dallas that the Cowboys aren’t going to be bidders for linebacker Brian Urlacher, the veteran is running low on other places to play if he doesn’t wind up returning to the the Bears.
The Bears reiterated Monday that they’re open to such a return, although there’s no change from chairman George McCaskey’s demand that emotion not be the deciding factor on the team’s end. President Ted Phillips said Monday that Emery is handling the situation “exactly the way you would want to with a player of Brian’s caliber” while making it clear that the team would like Urlacher back in the middle of the defense.
“The reality is we would like nothing more than for Brian to finish his career as a Bear,” Phillips said, via Dan Pompei of the Chicago Tribune. “I still remember the day we drafted him. He played safety in college and he’s turned into one of the best middle linebackers and Chicago Bears in history. I hope his career ends with us.”
Phillips also said that he hoped the situation would reach a resolution soon, something that the team holds in its power. Pompei reports that they have some cap space carved away for Urlacher and using it elsewhere would bring things to a resolution. It doesn’t seem like the Bears are ready to make that call, which makes it likelier that Urlacher will play at least one more year with the Bears.