The good news for Brian Ulracher is that everyone involved with the Bears seems convinced that he has a value to the organization.
The bad news is nobody is converting that intangible feeling into tangible dollars and cents.
Bears coach Marc Trestman said he’s certain Urlacher “can help us win,” but is leaving the business part of the decision to general manager Phil Emery.
“It’s something I’m not concerned about,” Trestman told FOXSports.com’s Alex Marvez and Jim Miller on SiriusXM NFL Radio. “It’s a process. We’ve evaluated Brian. We think he can help us win. Phil is doing everything he can to work through this process with Brian and his representatives.
“I know we’re going to do what’s best for the organization when it’s all resolved. We just have to let things take its course.”
The 34-year-old linebacker’s in effectively the same spot as safety Ed Reed with the Ravens, except he doesn’t have the Texans to use as leverage at the moment. In fact, Urlacher’s best chance at an option to drive up his price dried up when the Cowboys brass admitted adding him “doesn’t really make a lot of sense.”
That leaves the new coach balancing the tug of emotions that are held by others against the reality of an older player he’s never coached.
“These things have gone on since the history of football,” Trestman said. “I do recognize how important this is to our fans and the city of Chicago. I recognize this is a difficult time for them not knowing. I respect that, but I trust the process. I’m comfortable with it.
“It will get resolved when it’s supposed to get resolved.”
Which sounds like when Urlacher recognizes that the market’s not what anyone thought it would be, and that he doesn’t have the same kind of pull he used to.