What are your thoughts?

[Alaskan Grizzly]

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post...urlacher-cutler

 

So the question has to be asked, what do you think the team will do (in the long run) with both Brian and Jay? Obviously it's way too early to probably worry about it but if the team does do reallly well this year, it could make for some dicey negotiations. By the way, I could help but notice how dour Cutler and Urlacher look in the article picture.

[selection7]

I can't believe its already Urlacher's turn again. It feels like his last extension wasn't that long ago.

 

Jay doesn't want to negotiate an extension before the season I'm sure. He stands to raise his stock a lot if this offense can play up to everyones' hopes this season.

Urlacher probably should want to get a deal done now, but then, he's made his money and then some. I don't know what he's thinking.

 

The Bears don't have anyone ready to replace either player, which makes both of their positions stronger.

[Wesson44]

I can't believe its already Urlacher's turn again. It feels like his last extension wasn't that long ago.

 

Jay doesn't want to negotiate an extension before the season I'm sure. He stands to raise his stock a lot if this offense can play up to everyones' hopes this season.

Urlacher probably should want to get a deal done now, but then, he's made his money and then some. I don't know what he's thinking.

 

The Bears don't have anyone ready to replace either player, which makes both of their positions stronger.

 

I say sign them both as soon as possible. These are two core players, sure Ulacher is on the wrong side of 30 but I would not want him playing anywhere else than in Chicago and i think he feels the same way. Cutler is a good QB and we need to keep him.

[Pixote]

I say sign them both as soon as possible. These are two core players, sure Ulacher is on the wrong side of 30 but I would not want him playing anywhere else than in Chicago and i think he feels the same way. Cutler is a good QB and we need to keep him.

 

I have to agree, the longer you wait to sign these two guys the more it will probably cost you. Once they get close enough to smell free agency you always take the chance that the price goes up. It is going to take some big money as it is to extend these two guys.

[adam]

Urlacher and Cutler are no-brainers for extensions, but Tillman and Hester will be much harder. Hester is really tricky with a $10 million "deescalating" roster bonus for next season. I don't see him getting the type of deal he thinks he deserves.

[Mongo3451]

It's pain to see that both are huge factors in our key to success. Urlacher is going to be tricky with his age and the "face" thing he has going for him. I dont think hes worth near as much on the open market as he is with us. As always, I pray for a hometown discount. Cutty is going to be very expensive, but he'll get his.

 

The big question is, how much do you think they'll command???

[Ed Hochuli 3:16]

Urlacher and Cutler are no-brainers for extensions, but Tillman and Hester will be much harder. Hester is really tricky with a $10 million "deescalating" roster bonus for next season. I don't see him getting the type of deal he thinks he deserves.

Don't forget Melton, Moore, and Davis if he has a decent year.

[Mongo3451]

Don't forget Melton, Moore, and Davis if he has a decent year.

I hope we have a huge dilemma...

[madlithuanian]

Personally, I hope Url rocks it again this year and we lock him and Jay up.

 

Then next draft Emery bolsters the O line and LB corps.

 

http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/bears/post...urlacher-cutler

 

So the question has to be asked, what do you think the team will do (in the long run) with both Brian and Jay? Obviously it's way too early to probably worry about it but if the team does do reallly well this year, it could make for some dicey negotiations. By the way, I could help but notice how dour Cutler and Urlacher look in the article picture.

 

[Alaskan Grizzly]

Urlacher is going to be tricky with his age and the "face" thing he has going for him.

 

The big question is, how much do you think they'll command???

 

Manning had the "face" thing too and "the house that Peyton built" in Lucas Oil Stadium. I just hope URL doesn't become insistent on a price and rather hopes to be a part of tradition, something Chicago is rich in.

[Connorbear]

Url has already made a ton of money with the Bears and they even re-did his contract in the middle of it to give him more. He will 35 this season and may have three years left. I don't want to see him leave but I don't want them to over pay him. A lot of great players end up playing for other teams at the end of their careers - Montana, Rice, Namath, Seau, etc... I am afraid we may see that happen here.

 

Peace

[selection7]

Url has already made a ton of money with the Bears and they even re-did his contract in the middle of it to give him more. He will 35 this season...

Peace

No he won't. Why is it that year after year people, from fans to media, get Urlacher's age wrong...always making him 1 year older than he is?

Urlacher was born May 25, 1978. He just turned 34 a month and a half ago, and he won't be 35 until well after next year's rookie draft.

 

Maybe it's something about a May birtday that makes people do the math wrong, but in the case of the news writers, I always wondered if they didn't do it on purpose to make their "oh no, Urlacher's getting old" article more dramatic. Granted, I'll agree he is old now. But he did get to take a whole year off just to rest his wrist, and I wouldn't be surprised if that adds more than the year he lost back on to his career.

[selection7]

Oh, but I also agree that there's a possibility, at least, that Urlacher isn't too concerned with the money at this point in his career. Maybe he's more concerned about a Super Bowl...before he has to hang it up.

[adam]

I think Cutler will get a new 5-year deal, and Url will get a 2-3 year deal.

[AZ54]

Cutler will be at least $15mil/yr probably more but he won't get extended this offseason as he has a deal for 2 years. I think the money goes elsewhere first.

 

Urlacher is a tough call. If he's playing well this year I'd like to see the Bears given him a 2yr extension mid-season. I can't recall how much cap space we have left but it would be nice to roll his bonus into this year.

 

Melton is the other player I'd like to see the Bears lockup early (assuming he's playing well). Even if he is playing similar to last year's performance I still think we must have him around for depth the following years. In that case his extension shouldn't cost too much and if it does demand big money it will likely be best to get it done earlier than later. I don't want to go into next offseason with big Toe and Paea as our only DTs on the roster. How much leverage will Melton have then if he's played well?

 

 

[Connorbear]

No he won't. Why is it that year after year people, from fans to media, get Urlacher's age wrong...always making him 1 year older than he is?

Urlacher was born May 25, 1978. He just turned 34 a month and a half ago, and he won't be 35 until well after next year's rookie draft.

 

Maybe it's something about a May birtday that makes people do the math wrong, but in the case of the news writers, I always wondered if they didn't do it on purpose to make their "oh no, Urlacher's getting old" article more dramatic. Granted, I'll agree he is old now. But he did get to take a whole year off just to rest his wrist, and I wouldn't be surprised if that adds more than the year he lost back on to his career.

34 or 35 - he is old for a football player. He has a ton of miles on him. I expect sometime in the next couple of years we will see level of play start to drop off.

 

I love him as a Bear and don't want to see him leave but I hope he is reasonable in his contract expectations.

 

Peace

[Wesson44]

34 or 35 - he is old for a football player. He has a ton of miles on him. I expect sometime in the next couple of years we will see level of play start to drop off.

 

I love him as a Bear and don't want to see him leave but I hope he is reasonable in his contract expectations.

 

Peace

 

Old??? Well I think Ray lewis is 37 and still going strong!

[rockren]

I'd love to say the Bears are in a position of advantage here as they can wait to see how Urlacher plays this year and then they can decide if he's worth a multi-year deal.

 

I don't think there is any question U-Boat plays well- none.

 

Since Lovie and his staff have been sooooo good at developing his own talent on defense....maybe we can just let Urlacher go?

 

Lets face it- If Lovie didn't inherit, trade for or sign a star defender....Lovie would have been long gone by now. Think about it. As far as we're all sure of it- Urlacher can still play and this coaching regime needs him as bad as they'll need any player outside of Cutler.

 

I'd sign him to a 3yr/27mil deal with 12 guaranteed starting this season. Make the last year worth 10mil and decide two years from now whether or not you want him back for 10 mil for that last season when he's 36.

 

I'm not sure if all of this can be done with the new CBA and whether or not there would be a cap penalty for restructuring his deal for this season....but that is something I would explore as going season to season with a HOF like Urlacher is going to cost us a lot more money IMO.

[selection7]

Urlacher won't get more expensive if we wait a year. Cutler might. If we believe in both guys, we should extend Cutler and let Urlacher play his out. Of course, those two should want the exact opposite, for the same reasons but on the opposite side of the coin, so we'll see. It's looking like neither of them will push to get a new deal.

[madlithuanian]

No matter how we feel about Url, 34 is old in football years. Lewis is far more exception than rule.

 

Old??? Well I think Ray lewis is 37 and still going strong!

 

[madlithuanian]

Great observations rockren. Smith may just need him more than any player on the roster.

 

I'd love to say the Bears are in a position of advantage here as they can wait to see how Urlacher plays this year and then they can decide if he's worth a multi-year deal.

 

I don't think there is any question U-Boat plays well- none.

 

Since Lovie and his staff have been sooooo good at developing his own talent on defense....maybe we can just let Urlacher go?

 

Lets face it- If Lovie didn't inherit, trade for or sign a star defender....Lovie would have been long gone by now. Think about it. As far as we're all sure of it- Urlacher can still play and this coaching regime needs him as bad as they'll need any player outside of Cutler.

 

I'd sign him to a 3yr/27mil deal with 12 guaranteed starting this season. Make the last year worth 10mil and decide two years from now whether or not you want him back for 10 mil for that last season when he's 36.

 

I'm not sure if all of this can be done with the new CBA and whether or not there would be a cap penalty for restructuring his deal for this season....but that is something I would explore as going season to season with a HOF like Urlacher is going to cost us a lot more money IMO.

 

[madlithuanian]

Another great point. Agreed.

 

Urlacher won't get more expensive if we wait a year. Cutler might. If we believe in both guys, we should extend Cutler and let Urlacher play his out. Of course, those two should want the exact opposite, for the same reasons but on the opposite side of the coin, so we'll see. It's looking like neither of them will push to get a new deal.

 

[rockren]

Urlacher won't get more expensive if we wait a year. Cutler might. If we believe in both guys, we should extend Cutler and let Urlacher play his out. Of course, those two should want the exact opposite, for the same reasons but on the opposite side of the coin, so we'll see. It's looking like neither of them will push to get a new deal.

 

What if he goes to the Pro Bowl and wins Defensive Player of the Year? What then?

[madlithuanian]

Then they have to deal with it. Pro Bowl is almost a given...POY is another thing.

 

Also, given Url's past of always being a star vs Jay's almost being a star...if Url is a star again, it doesn't really impact his price. Whereas if Jay becomes one, it will. QB's always make the most $.

 

What if he goes to the Pro Bowl and wins Defensive Player of the Year? What then?

 

[Mongo3451]

Then they have to deal with it. Pro Bowl is almost a given...POY is another thing.

 

Also, given Url's past of always being a star vs Jay's almost being a star...if Url is a star again, it doesn't really impact his price. Whereas if Jay becomes one, it will. QB's always make the most $.

 

I think they will let Url take a peek into free agency, while letting him know they will counteroffer. The only risk is that a team offers him great money with an ultimatum to sign now. That being said, it's going to have to be a team he feels is a contender. Not many great teams add an overaged MLB at a premuim price I'll be shocked if doesn't retire a Bear.

 

Cutler, on the other hand(with another good season), is gonna get around 6/104mil with about 40 guaranteed. Wait till you see what Rodgers gets this year or next!