Urlacher may hold out of mandatory camp

[Spider-Dan]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3394788

Brian Urlacher skipped voluntary workouts, trying to impress upon the Chicago Bears his unhappiness with his current contract. Since the team hasn't budged, he now says that he'll likely skip involuntary workouts as well.

The middle linebacker told Yahoo.com on Tuesday that he expects to boycott the mandatory minicamp that runs from May 30 to June 1.

"I would bet I wouldn't be there," Urlacher said, according to the Web site. "My agents and the team had some good dialogue early on, but nothing's happened lately. It's been almost two months since there's been any action on their end, and it's a waiting game right now."

Urlacher, who said he has recovered from neck surgery, has four years left on his nine-year, $56.5-million contract, but he believes the deal is outdated.

"It's easy for people to criticize me for wanting [a new deal], and I understand that it's a contract and I signed it," Urlacher said, according to the Web site. "But this is the NFL, and if I'd signed it and I'd played like [expletive], they'd have cut me or tried to get me to take less. In my mind, there's no difference. If they can 'break' a contract, I have a right to ask for more if I play well enough.

"When I signed my deal the salary cap was $75 million. It's, what, $116 million now? Things have changed. I understand that all of this, to a normal person, sounds crazy. It's all relative to what you do. If you're a chair-builder, and you feel you're the best at what you do, and other chair-builders are making more than you, then you'd want to be paid more, too."

Despite playing with back pain, Urlacher led the Bears in tackles last season at 123 and added five sacks and five interceptions.

The Bears have been unwilling to discuss Urlacher's contract status.
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I could not agree more with Urlacher.  People are all too happy to bash players for wanting to renegotiate a contract, yet where is their outrage when a team cuts a player in the third year of a six-year deal?

This guy is not a cancer or malcontent; far from it.  He should hold out as long as need be.

[simeon]

I disagree I believe if you sign a contract you honor it, plain and simple.
If you get into a car accident I assume you would be upset if the insurance policy wasn't honored, what if they said, Oh sorry sir but there were less accidents three years ago so we have decided we should renegotiate a contract with you, we cant honor this one.
I would be pretty upset if any company I have done business with did not honor their contract, I would assume you would be too.
BRIAN get a hint, you SIGNED a contract, be a man of your word.
This is a game and you are already over paid, all football players are. Go ahead and sit out the whole year, I hope you enjoy your paycheck !!!!

[ethurst2]

I disagree I believe if you sign a contract you honor it, plain and simple.
If you get into a car accident I assume you would be upset if the insurance policy wasn't honored, what if they said, Oh sorry sir but there were less accidents three years ago so we have decided we should renegotiate a contract with you, we cant honor this one.
I would be pretty upset if any company I have done business with did not honor their contract, I would assume you would be too.
BRIAN get a hint, you SIGNED a contract, be a man of your word.
This is a game and you are already over paid, all football players are. Go ahead and sit out the whole year, I hope you enjoy your paycheck !!!!

But shouldn't owners be just as loyal and reward a producing player?

[StL FinFan]

Pro sports are not like other occupations.  Contracts are restructured and broken all the time.  It's standard practice.  We cannot compare these guys to the rest of us, because they are nothing like the rest of us.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

But shouldn't owners be just as loyal and reward a producing player?

That's what incentives are for.

[fyo]

I disagree I believe if you sign a contract you honor it, plain and simple.

Contracts in the NFL are not guaranteed. If a standard contract is broken - by EITHER side, the other can get sued for breach of contract. That's the legal remedy.

It's different in the NFL. A different set of remedies are described in the contracts and in the CBA.

As such, it's perfectly valid for a team to NOT honor a contract and simply fire a player at any time. In this case, they would (unless the contract stipulated otherwise) NOT have to pay the player another dime.

Similarly, it's perfectly valid for a PLAYER to not honor a contract and simply sit out. It's the same thing a player does when he decides to retire. A team cannot force the player to continue playing if he no longer wishes to do so.

In the case where a player simply decides to sit out (or retire), several remedies come into play. These are dictated by the contract and the CBA, just like when it's the team that wants out of the contract.

In the case of the NFL, the player is generally the worse off in contract disputes. The team is free to cut a player anytime and suffers no other consequences (in relation to the player). Conversely, when the player decides to sit out, the team still owns his ass. Even if the contract contained no "pay back" remedies, the player remains under contract with the team for employment purposes. He is thus unable to gain employment in any other team regardless of how long he sits out.

So not only does the player lose his paycheck, he also loses the ability to gain different employment (in the NFL).

Such are the rules in the NFL. Neither team nor player is breaking them, so stop whining about someone not being "a man of his word". Brian Urlacher IS following the rules set down in his contract and the CBA. If he wishes to stop playing, he can do so (and probably not have to pay any money back to the team). He just won't get paid anymore and won't be able to sign with a different franchise. Those are the rules.

[Spider-Dan]

I disagree I believe if you sign a contract you honor it, plain and simple.

...except when a team cuts a guy for his lack of performance?

If the NFL had guaranteed contracts like the NBA or MLB, then sure.  But "honoring the contract you signed" should not be a one-way street.

This is a game and you are already over paid, all football players are.

I am always amazed when people say this.

Football players are paid what they deserve, based on the demand of services they provide.  Arguing that players are overpaid is essentially saying that you think the owners deserve more money.

[Defense54]

You would love to say.......Spoiled Million $$ Athlete but Urlacher states his case very well. Basically if the Bears don't Pay up a bit he won't do any of the Extra things a Team leader in his position is expected to do. I have no doubt he will play , and go 100% but screw the team workouts and anything voluntary. Play it to the letter.

[landlocked]

The McCaskey family are historically cheapskates and penny pinchers.They had a dynasty right in their lap in the mid '80s,but wouldn't pay to keep arguably one of the best teams in NFL history together.Richard Dent,the mvp of super bowl XX only made $95,000 that year,peanuts for a guy of his caliber.

[bsfins]

My Family are all Bear fans...I really like Urlacher,And wouldn't have a problem with Urlacher doing this before last season...Coming off the superbowl appearance,He had a good year,Etc,Etc...This past year,he had Back spasms,problem with his neck...and these tend to be Chronic problems....

This reminds me a few years ago,I think it was Center Matt Birk of the Vikings. He said " Give me long term Contract,I'll play through the year,and hold off surgery till the offseason.(for whatever injury) If I don't get a contract,I'm going to have surgery now,so I'll be ready for free agency....

I know it's apple and oranges....I just feel like the tact is all wrong....New contract or I'll retire....New contract or else....

If you've followed these rumors,and this story for awhile,He'll retire if he doesn't get a new contract,blah,Blah,Blah....

I think Urlacher needs to shut up,go out and have a good year,prove he's healthy...Umm Tommie Harris went down and Urlacher seemed to disappear at times..Your team Ranked 28th in the league in Total Defense,24th against the run,27th against the pass....So the Vikings/Purple Jesus running up 275 yards wasn't just a fluke....