Rumor....Urlacher

You know which team is in the best position to know how effective Urlacher still is? The Chicago Bears.

Tech Worlds":4bwtg9y4 said:

This would be stupid.

We built this team based on youth. We don't need washed up old has been.

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Agreed, we can certainly better well spend the money on something we need.
We can find a better alternative through the middle rounds that is ready to play, wants to play..

FO had a good analysis of the best and worst run stoppers in the NFL. Urlacher made top 10. They had this to say:

You may think that playing 3-4 outside linebacker is a huge help as far as making the left side of this particular list. You may be right. There have been a few 4-3 outside linebackers and the occasional middle linebacker like Brian Urlacher over the past few seasons, but it definitely helps you collect negative plays if you're moving on the snap.

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The guy was listed in the top 10. The only middle linebacker who made the list and he consistently makes the list. He's a special talent and anyone who buys into the "he's washed up" myth has been buying into the whole Bears fans excuses for why their team blew their shot at the playoffs. People like to find scapegoats.

Oh and btw, Bobby didn't make that list.

Seems I recall our team had a need for run stoppers as the season progressed.

One of the finalists for ROY AT MLB and people talk about moving him to WSLB... utter ignorance.

SalishHawkFan":34bea0ch said:

FO had a good analysis of the best and worst run stoppers in the NFL. Urlacher made top 10. They had this to say:

You may think that playing 3-4 outside linebacker is a huge help as far as making the left side of this particular list. You may be right. There have been a few 4-3 outside linebackers and the occasional middle linebacker like Brian Urlacher over the past few seasons, but it definitely helps you collect negative plays if you're moving on the snap.

Click to expand...

The guy was listed in the top 10. The only middle linebacker who made the list and he consistently makes the list. He's a special talent and anyone who buys into the "he's washed up" myth has been buying into the whole Bears fans excuses for why their team blew their shot at the playoffs. People like to find scapegoats.

Oh and btw, Bobby didn't make that list.

Seems I recall our team had a need for run stoppers as the season progressed.

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This post changed me from "mehhh" to "slightly in favor"

AgentDib":2v5jx9po said:

You know which team is in the best position to know how effective Urlacher still is? The Chicago Bears.

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To be fair, the Bears did offer him a contract. A contract that was twice as much as the minimum. It will probably end up being the biggest contract Urlacher is offered this offseason. He made a mistake turning it down, IMO.

ErikG803":zaz6fifw said:

SalishHawkFan":zaz6fifw said:

FO had a good analysis of the best and worst run stoppers in the NFL. Urlacher made top 10. They had this to say:

You may think that playing 3-4 outside linebacker is a huge help as far as making the left side of this particular list. You may be right. There have been a few 4-3 outside linebackers and the occasional middle linebacker like Brian Urlacher over the past few seasons, but it definitely helps you collect negative plays if you're moving on the snap.

Click to expand...

The guy was listed in the top 10. The only middle linebacker who made the list and he consistently makes the list. He's a special talent and anyone who buys into the "he's washed up" myth has been buying into the whole Bears fans excuses for why their team blew their shot at the playoffs. People like to find scapegoats.

Oh and btw, Bobby didn't make that list.

Seems I recall our team had a need for run stoppers as the season progressed.

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This post changed me from "mehhh" to "slightly in favor"

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Haha, that's probably about where I stand too actually. I don't think everyone should rag on him as being over the hll, Urlacher is still an elite MLB. I wouldn't replace Wagner with him, but he could have a place on our team.

HawKnPeppa":22fwjifd said:

One of the finalists for ROY AT MLB and people talk about moving him to WSLB... utter ignorance.

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I hate posts like these. Not only is it incorrect, but it paints dissent into a corner. Nobody wants Bobby Wagner to move to WILL. Some of us just happen to think he'd do great there if Seattle decided to make that move. What's so stupid about recognizing flexibility and weighing options?

If Seattle really is talking about Urlacher, I hate to break it to you but it's not to have him play outside linebacker. Is Wagner a better MLB than old Urlacher? Most likely. But just the same, wouldn't a combination of Urlacher/Wagner be better than Wagner/Smith? Wagner has an outstanding WILL skillset, so I can see the angle. I doubt it would be a permanent move, and Seattle has shown a willingness to move players around in the past.

SalishHawkFan":1y6a1e9h said:

Haha, that's probably about where I stand too actually. I don't think everyone should rag on him as being over the hll, Urlacher is still an elite MLB. I wouldn't replace Wagner with him, but he could have a place on our team.

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I'm not saying that I want us to sign him, but it does sound like Urlacher's got a chip on his shoulder right now, doesn't it?

I haven't watched Urlacher recently. I didn't even watch him close when Seattle played Chicago. Maybe he really is completely washed up. That said, I thought that an ancient Lawyer Milloy was washed up for years before he tore it up a bit in 2010 in Pete's style of defense. I remember thinking that Kurt Warner was washed up for years before the 2008/2009 seasons rolled around. Sometimes even an apparently washed up player can still have a lot in the tank. So for a minimum type deal, I don't see the harm in giving Urlacher a chance to find out which type of old player he is.

Edit: I thought it was pretty funny to see who the #1 worst linebacker at stopping the rush was: Ray Lewis.

Out of curiousity, is there a track record with this poster's source? Is this the one that reported the Ruvell Martin signing and/or the Houshmandzadeh cut?

ErikG803":3ebulzb8 said:

SalishHawkFan":3ebulzb8 said:

FO had a good analysis of the best and worst run stoppers in the NFL. Urlacher made top 10. They had this to say:

You may think that playing 3-4 outside linebacker is a huge help as far as making the left side of this particular list. You may be right. There have been a few 4-3 outside linebackers and the occasional middle linebacker like Brian Urlacher over the past few seasons, but it definitely helps you collect negative plays if you're moving on the snap.

Click to expand...

The guy was listed in the top 10. The only middle linebacker who made the list and he consistently makes the list. He's a special talent and anyone who buys into the "he's washed up" myth has been buying into the whole Bears fans excuses for why their team blew their shot at the playoffs. People like to find scapegoats.

Oh and btw, Bobby didn't make that list.

Seems I recall our team had a need for run stoppers as the season progressed.

Click to expand...

This post changed me from "mehhh" to "slightly in favor"

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As yet, I don't trust individual player metrics, especially thiz one. FO admit in their opening paragraph that this stat is flawed, as they are only counting the plays where that player shows up on the stat sheet. What you are measuring is in effect tackling efficiency in a very specific context.
It is like fielding errors in baseball. The problem with that is that it pnly measures success when you get there. So, in baseball they divided the field into vectors, decided what a player should be able to cover, and came up with a fielding range stat which showed how successful the fielder was on all plays which involved or should have involved the fielder.

No one is doutinw that Urlacher can tackle, but whether he can run. This stat doesnt measure that, or take account of DL play (he had Melton in front of him after all) or scheme. It shouldn't really change your mind even a little.

kearly":2cdh9v8a said:

AgentDib":2cdh9v8a said:

You know which team is in the best position to know how effective Urlacher still is? The Chicago Bears.

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To be fair, the Bears did offer him a contract. A contract that was twice as much as the minimum. It will probably end up being the biggest contract Urlacher is offered this offseason. He made a mistake turning it down, IMO.

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Don't remember for sure but didn't the Bears offer him $2 million and he wanted $2.5 million? I thought at the time I read it seemed pretty silly to be steamed over half a million bucks at this point in his career.

:les:

He was steamed that it was presented as an ultimatum, not an offer.

Everyone is talking about how much Urlacher may or may not have left in his body, or if changing Wagner's position is a smart move. What about the mental presence of Urlacher? He will forever make Wagner and KJ better linebackers by playing next to him and learning from him in the film room. Urlacher is known to be one of the smartest defensive players in the game and is great at defensive audibles (as stated by Matt Hasselbach). And if possible, could actually raise the level of intensity in an already insane group.
I hate to say it, but his addition to our defense would be very comparable to Boldin's addition to SF. Anyone who thinks Wagner is already better than Urlacher is crazy. And 80% of Urlacher is one hell of an addition. The guys mind will improve everybody on the defense.

Urlacher might have been dinged up the few games I watched him this year, but he was a shell of his former self. I remember watching him and thinking he was the slowest MLB I had seen all year. He's been a helluva player, but I wouldn't want him as starter now. Depth would be fine, but I doubt he accepts that role. Besides, I want a backup LB that can play special teams, like Farwell.

I won't even get into my love for Wagner, who I've been high on since we drafted him. It'd take a special LB for me even to consider moving him.

HawKnPeppa":pjywsj46 said:

One of the finalists for ROY AT MLB and people talk about moving him to WSLB... utter ignorance.

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:13: it annoys me as well.

I've said before, and I'll say it again; unless BU can show me two good knees on a passing physical, and a stellar workout including speed in the neighborhood of a 4.7 (or so), I'll pass.

It goes without saying he would bring knowledge, but keep in mind, those that can no longer do, teach.

BU would make a great position coach...

I know he's over the hill, but give me an ANGRY Brian Urlacher at MLB over anyone for one year. I love Wagner, and he'll get as many snaps as he did last year. Wagner's versitility and play recognition will help him wherever he's put. A chance to play along side a HOF player in Urlacher will only help him. Urlacher only had almost one less tackle per game in 2012 v. 2011 and reports were that he was injured. For the right price (less than what was offered by Chicago), Urlacher would help our run defense more than any other player in the draft for one year.

He WAS one of the best Tampa2 dropper LBers ever. He is now just old,slow,can't change direction or stay healthy who wants to be paid based on his reputation. Did anyone really think Ray looked good last year in the playoffs/SB? I thought he was a liability most of the time. Give me Alan Branch back for the money it would require to get a washed up player who would end up being a backup or hurt.

Would he be any slower than Hawthorne?

If he's willing to be a depth guy, what's the harm? He could always be traded to the Saints during camp too.