The fact that Brian Urlacher is still an unsigned middle linebacker after 13-years of leading the Chicago Bears is baffling. Sometimes even vets are dealt a bad hand.
With a new head coach and defensive coordinator running the show it was only a matter of time before the loyalty that kept Urlacher a Bear ended.
Now that Urlacher is searching for a new field to call home, it appears that his record for most tackles in Bears franchise history and his five All-Pro team selections are being ignored.
The latest team to pass him by is the Minnesota Vikings. Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier told NFL.com that although Urlacher is an amazing player they’re not interested in signing him.
“Brian has been a great player in our league for a long, long time,” Frazier said. “He was a thorn our side for many years. At this point, we want to take a look at the guys that we have on our roster, give them a chance to compete for the middle linebacker position, and we’ll see where it takes us.”
Most likely linebacker Erin Henderson will improve, or fourth-rounder Gerald Hodges will transition, or even seventh-round pick Michael Mauti will impress and become their missing link. But do the Vikings’ linebacker options validate their reason for not seeking Urlacher?
Due to injury, 2012 wasn’t Urlacher’s most successful season. Injuries are unexpected and can happen to any player, even future hall of famers.
When Payton Manning was plagued by injury during his descending years with the Indianapolis Colts, it was assumed that his best years were behind him. But Manning proved that he still had the ability to win games when his Denver Broncos made the playoffs and advanced to an AFC divisional playoff game.
Regardless of how disappointing his last season was with the Colts, he was able to bounce back and became the AP comeback player of the year.
Urlacher deserves another shot at proving himself.
Whether or not Urlacher is still an elite player is debatable and it will be debated until he’s given another chance. But if he doesn’t find a new home before the season starts, he’s going to have less time to prove his worth.
