FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 4/7/2013 1:55pm et

Free-agent LB Brian Urlacher (Bears) isn't expected to sign with a new team any time soon, and he wants to play for a contender, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

Huddle Up: This has the makings of a late-preseason signing for a franchise looking to add a veteran leader.

Posted: 3/21/2013 5:22pm et

The Minnesota Vikings are not interested in free-agent LB Brian Urlacher (Bears) and likely would not express interest unless his asking price drops significantly.

Huddle Up: The Bears and the Vikings have been the only real reported possibilities for Urlacher, and again, he's going to make a realistic self-assessment of his declining skills and adjust his financial expectations.

Posted: 3/21/2013 4:57pm et

Free-agent LB Brian Urlacher (Bears) was looking for a one-year deal from the Chicago Bears in the range of $3.5 million to $4 million. The team offered a deal for about $2 million for 2013.

Huddle Up: Urlacher, who will turn 35 in May, had a great run in the Windy City, but he's going to have to come to grips with his declining skills as he his tackle totals have declined in each of the past 3 seasons and he hasn't had a sack since 2010.

Posted: 3/14/2013 1:44pm et

Free-agent LB Brian Urlacher (Bears) has been in contact with the Minnesota Vikings, and a team source with the Vikings confirmed the talks. The team said they are 'monitoring' the situation and still believed Urlacher would eventually return to the Chicago Bears.

Huddle Up: As expected, age -- Urlacher will be 35 in May -- and injury issues are keeping the LB from drawing much interest on the FA market. Playing out the string with the Bears might be Urlacher's best -- and only -- option.

Posted: 1/30/2013 12:16am et

Impending free-agent LB Brian Urlacher (Bears) said Tuesday, Jan. 29, that he intends to play in 2013, and he is hopeful he will be back with the Bears. He said he has not heard anything from the team regarding his future. 'Chicago is my home. Whether I play for the Bears or not, that's my home,' Urlacher said. 'So I want to be there and hopefully we can work something out, but if not I'll go somewhere else.' Urlacher said money was not a top priority for him, and give his age and recent injury history, he said he'd be willing to give the Bears a hometown discount.

Huddle Up: The key question, though, is how much interest do the Bears and new head coach Marc Trestman have in the aging LB who missed 4 games and finished with 53 tackles -- his lowest output in any of his 13 NFL seasons aside from 2009, when he played in only 1 contest.

Posted: 1/1/2013 11:05pm et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher said he wants to stay with the Chicago Bears, even though he is a free-agent and had said he would only play for former head coach Lovie Smith. 'I feel like I'm a Bear, no matter what happens,' Urlacher said. 'I want to be here. ... I still don't want to play for anybody else, and I'll keep saying that until it happens, I guess.'

Huddle Up: 2 items to note: Urlacher will be 5 years on the wrong side of 30 by the time the 2013 season kicks off and is coming off a career-low 68 total tackles -- aside from the 2009 campaign in which he was injured in the season-opener -- in 2012.

Posted: 12/4/2012 6:26pm et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher (hamstring) has been diagnosed with a grade two hamstring strain that will keep him out of the next three games and possibly the rest of the regular season. Urlacher hopes to be fully recovered in time for the start of the postseason.

Huddle Up: The 34-year-old Urlacher has played with aches, pains and strains all season and has yet to miss a game, but it'll now be up to his teammates to close out the regular season and (hopefully) secure a playoff spot.

Posted: 10/23/2012 12:55pm et

The Chicago Bears forced four turnovers, recorded three sacks and limited the Detroit Lions to a TD in a 13-7 Week 7 win on Monday Night Football.

Huddle Up: Three of the forced turnovers came in the red zone as the Bears turned back the Lions time and again. Chicago leads the league in fewest points allowed (78), takeaways (21) and sacks per game (3.5) so enjoy the fantasy points if the Monsters of the Midway are your starting defense/special teams unit.

Posted: 9/12/2012 11:36am et

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith said LB Brian Urlacher should be available for Week 2 despite sitting out practice Tuesday, Sept. 11. Smith added the team has a plan as far as Urlacher's workload is concerned. "Brian is feeling fine; the plan was to keep him out today," Smith said. "We feel pretty good with the plan (that) came through (Sunday). Hopefully it will this week."

Huddle Up: It's a short week for the Bears as they gear up to face the Packers on Thursday, and all indications are Urlacher will be holding down his usual spot smack dab in the middle of the Chicago defense.

Posted: 9/11/2012 5:43pm et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher (knee) and CB Charles Tillman (shin) both missed practice Tuesday, Sept. 11.

Huddle Up: Again, these likely are precautionary moves with the Bears' short week before playing Thursday night in Green Bay.

Posted: 9/10/2012 7:37pm et

Chicago Bears TE Kyle Adams (shoulder), CB Charles Tillman (shin) and LB Brian Urlacher (knee, rest) did not practice Monday, Sept. 10.

Huddle Up: This sounds more pracautionary than anything with the Bears' short turnaround this week. Chicago will need both Urlacher and Tillman against the high-powered Packers on Thursday night.

Posted: 9/5/2012 6:47pm et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher (knee) practiced in full Wednesday, Sept. 5.

Huddle Up: Urlacher's promise to play in Week 1 after missing all of the preseason is looking good. How well the 34-year-old LB can still get around on his repaired knee -- by Urlacher's lofty standards -- is a whole other question.

Posted: 8/28/2012 7:39pm et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher (knee) is expected to return to practice next week, according to head coach Lovie Smith.

Huddle Up: Urlacher hasn't practiced since the opening days of camp nearly a month ago, so this most definitely is forward progress as the veteran LB attempts to be ready to play in the Bears' Sept. 9 season opener against Andrew Luck and the Colts.

Posted: 8/23/2012 2:41pm et

The Chicago Bears are reportedly pessimistic that LB Brian Urlacher (knee) will be ready for Week 1. Urlacher wants to play in Week 1, and the team has done nothing to dissuade him. They are allowing him to plan as if he'll be ready; however, internally, they are preparing as if he won't.

Huddle Up: Missing games that count has been the concern all along for the Pro Bowl LB, and now that sounds as if it could happen if the team already is prepping for it with 2 weeks to go in the preseason. Overall, the Bears' defense is showing its age with four key players on the wrong side of 30, and its fantasy stock, along with Urlacher's, should be on the decline.

Posted: 8/14/2012 12:17pm et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher (knee) underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and hopes to be ready for the season opener.

Huddle Up: It's been a lost preseason for Urlacher, who has been sidelined since early in camp. Still, for a 34-year-old LB who has played 16 games in 6 of the past 7 seasons, does Urlacher really need the August reps? Not really. Especially if it means he'll be manning the middle Sept. 9 against the Colts. Drop him a few spots in your pre-draft rankings, but don't start getting too alarmed until he starts missing games that count.

Posted: 8/7/2012 11:39pm et

Updating a previous report, Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher (knee) has been excused from practice for two days in a row due to 'personal reasons.' He missed his sixth straight workout Tuesday, Aug. 7, making it likely that he will miss the preseason opener Thursday, Aug. 9, against the Denver Broncos. The team likely does not want to risk further injury to Urlacher's knee by subjecting him to contact.

Huddle Up: No worries for now. Urlacher doesn't need preseason reps and can save himself for the games that count.

Posted: 8/6/2012 11:45am et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher missed his fourth consecutive practice with a sore left knee Sunday, Aug. 5, and the injury is a concern for the team. "It's always a concern when you have an injury at the end of the year and you miss some time in the offseason," Smith said. "But he should be OK."

Huddle Up: It's early enough in camp that you don't need to move the Bears defense down your cheat sheet just yet, but Urlacher is a key cog in this unit; if he's not back in the middle by the third preseason game, start reaching for the panic button.

Posted: 8/2/2012 7:26pm et

Chicago Bears LB Brian Urlacher (knee) returned to practice Thursday.

Huddle Up: Urlacher, entering his 13th season in Chicago, is getting a little long in the tooth, but he has started 16 games in each of the past 2 seasons. He finished with 102 total tackles and three interceptions a year ago, and still is ranked among the top 25 LBs in the IDP rankings.