Brian Urlacher said Tuesday he has yet to hear from the Chicago Bears regarding his future, but the veteran linebacker is hopeful that he will be back with the team for a 14th season in 2013. "Chicago is my home," Urlacher told "The Waddle & Silvy Show" on WMVP-AM 1000. "Whether I play for the Bears or not, that's my home. So I want to be there and hopefully we can work something out, but if not I'll go somewhere else." Urlacher is set to become a free agent soon after the Super Bowl. Asked if he definitely would be playing somewhere in 2013, Urlacher said, "For sure, yes. Still feel like I can, a little bit." And if it's not in Chicago? "Either way I'll be good," he said. "I'd like to play there but if not, I can move on. It's not that big of a deal." Urlacher indicated that money was not a top priority for him and, given his age (34) and recent injury history (knee and hamstring ailments that cut short his last two seasons), he said he'd be willing to give the Bears a hometown "discount." "When you look at my age and everything, it's going to be hard to not give them a discount," Urlacher said. "I'm not going to make what I was making in the past, how about that? Does that make sense? That's fair." Source: Chicago Tribune
Yea, it's fair, Brian, but It's more about training your replacement nowadays than squeezing the last drop out of your tank. Gettin' the feeling, discount or not, the new regime will take a step in another direction.
As much as a fan of his I am, a hometown discount might not matter when the Bears could draft his replacement. Pains me to say this but his days in Chicago might be over. He's had a great career so far.
