SB Nation Chicago - Chicago Bears Preseason: Lovie Smith Thinks Brian Urlacher Will Play Week 1

Brian Urlacher Injury: Bears LB Says Knee Is "Never Going To Be The Same"

2012-09-03T12:22:25Z

In an interview with Chicago's Fox-32, Chicago Bears MLB Brian Urlacher once again reiterated that he will be on the field when the team opens the season on Sept. 9 vs. the Indianapolis Colts. But he did say something that will be troubling to Bears fans. Urlacher told Lou Canellis that his left knee "just isn't the same anymore" and that it's "never going to be the same."

Urlacher, who sprained two ligaments in his knee in Chicago's Week 17 victory over the Minnesota Vikings last season, hasn't practiced with the team since July 31 and underwent microscopic surgery on the knee on Aug. 12. Urlacher, though, is expected to be back on the practice field on Monday as the team gears up for Week 1 of the 2012 season.

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Bears Injury Update: Urlacher, Podlesh, Paea Still On The Mend

2012-08-30T16:41:10Z

The Chicago Bears continue to be without the services of linebacker Brian Urlacher, punter Adam Podlesh and defensive tackle Stephen Paea. They also waived injured linebacker Dom DeCicco, who will need surgery and won't be eligible to be re-signed by the Bears until the middle of the season.

Urlacher is the big story, as he had a knee procedure earlier this month and has an injury that makes him questionable to probable at best for the start of the regular season. Podlesh has a hip flexor on his non-punting leg and it appears he won't be ready to start the regular season, though that has not been ruled out.

Paea has a lingering sprained left ankle that has bothered him for almost two weeks, and his availability has been pushed back to the regular-season opener. Safety Chris Conte has a separated shoulder and has been ruled out of the preseason, with the hope that he will be ready for the regular season.

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Bears Vs. Browns: RBs Armando Allen And Lorenzo Booker Make Final Audition On Thursday

2012-08-30T14:16:07Z

The Chicago Bears waived incumbent third-string running back Kahlil Bell last week after he refused to take a pay cut for the 2012 season, and that move has opened up a competition between Armando Allen and Lorenzo Booker for the No. 3 running back spot. The preseason finale on Thursday night against the Cleveland Browns is the last chance for Allen and Booker to prove their worth, and special teams performances may be the decisive factor. Dave Toub recently told the team website that he will be watching very closely on Thursday, because both guys play the same position on his unit and they have been "very close" with production over the first three games:

"They are both very close," said special teams coordinator Dave Toub. "That is one of the battles that we are having. That is going to come to a head here during that game.

"They are both playing the same positions on special teams and they're back-to-back. One guy goes and the next guy comes in, and we're evaluating them that way on special teams."

Both players fit in the scat-back mold and will offer a change of pace in the backfield, but the primary contributions from the No. 3 running back will be made on special teams. There may not be much for casual fans to see on Thursday, but for the hardcore NFL faithful it will be interesting to watch these two men go all-out for an NFL job.

Chicago Bears Re-Sign WR Terriun Crump, Waive LB Dom DeCicco

2012-08-29T23:53:25Z

The Chicago Bears made a minor roster switch on Wednesday afternoon heading into their final preseason game, re-signing wide receiver Terriun Crump to take the place of recently waived linebacker Dom DeCicco, according to the team's official Twitter account.

The 23-year-old Crump was not selected in April's 2012 NFL draft, but quickly signed on with the Bears as an undrafted free agent and appeared to impress coaches in camp on numerous occasions. Although he was waived from the roster on Aug. 26, 2012, during the most recent round of cuts, the decision to release DeCicco due to a nagging injury ultimately opened up another roster spot.

A second-year linebacker from Pittsburgh, DeCicco recorded 12 special-teams tackles as a rookie last season for coach Lovie Smith. But after suffering a serious groin injury in Chicago's preseason opener against the Broncos, DeCicco wasn't able to recover quick enough to establish himself in the competition for the team's linebacker spots.

Chicago Bears Release WR Rashied Davis

2012-08-29T17:02:56Z

Just a few weeks after returning to the team, the Chicago Bears have released wide receiver Rashied Davis, according to Jeff Dickerson of ESPN Chicago. Davis was banged up during training camp and never managed to land a spot on Chicago's depth chart.

Davis, 33, broke into the league with the Bears in 2006, eventually spending five years with Chicago. His best numbers came in 2008, when he caught 35 balls for 445 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to being an effective player on special teams.

After spending the 2011 season with the Detroit Lions, Davis was hoping to return to the Bears this season, but the team's depth chart is just too strong as this point. For now, it appears that Lovie Smith will go with Brandon Marshall, Devin Hester, Earl Bennett, Alshon Jeffery, Dane Sanzenbacher and Eric Weems on the wide receiver depth chart.

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Brian Urlacher Injury: Chicago Bears MLB Expected To Play Week 1

2012-08-29T12:52:54Z

Bears coach Lovie Smith expects Brian Urlacher to return from his knee injury for the team's season opener Sept. 9 against Indianapolis.

Urlacher hasn't taken part in a full pads practice since the end of July, and won't play in the team's preseason finale against Cleveland. But it seems his balky left knee is on the mend, and the team plans on the 34-year-old being on the field, as usual, for Chicago when the season starts.

"Brian is making a lot of progress," Smith said. "I expect to see No. 54 out on the field next week in practice and playing against the Colts."

There's a little bit of a drop off from the defensive legend to his backup, Dom DeCicco, who was undrafted out of Pitt in 2011. The Bears would likely opt to play Nick Roach as middle linebacker if Urlacher were unable to play when the season started, but it doesn't seem as if contingency plans are necessary as Urlacher returns to playing shape.

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Adam Podlesh Injury: Bears Punter Might Be Available For Season Opener

2012-08-28T22:01:42Z

Chicago Bears punter Adam Podlesh said Tuesday that his rehabilitation from a hip flexor injury may be progressing well enough to play in the Bears' Sept. 9, 2012, regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts:

"We don’t have a real timetable right now, but like I said, the rehab has been going real well and the training staff has been doing a great job maintaining my work ethic on the treatments," Podlesh said.

Podlesh was injured while chasing down Washington Redskins punt returner Brandon Banks during the teams' Aug. 18 preseason game. It was initially expected that Podlesh would miss four to six weeks of game action.

Undrafted rookie Ryan Quigley, Podlesh's backup, performed well in the Bears' last preseason game against the New York Giants. Quigley, a Boston College product, hit three punts inside the 20 yard line and averaged 43.6 yards on seven punts overall.

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Chicago Bears Expected To Blitz More Often

2012-08-28T16:37:47Z

The Chicago Bears have long been known as a defensive team. You remember "Monsters of the Midway" and all that sort of thing. Coach Lovie Smith has one of the finest units on paper once again and he will probably bring some more blitzes, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Count Bears linebacker Lance Briggs as someone who's totally on-board with the idea of bringing some more pressure.

"We want more big plays," Briggs said. "Sacks are big plays and they are a big part of being one of the top players; it's what you expect from playmakers. Last year, we got close a lot but didn't get a chance to get any numbers down. So, I think that is important. Not only do that, but create more turnovers and create opportunities for our offense to get more points on the board."

The Bears have men who can make plays at every level of the defense, making it much easier for defensive coordinator Rod Marinelli to take some chances.

"We've got some guys that can blitz," Marinelli told the Tribune. "So we are excited about it."

With the NFC North being full of teams that rely almost solely on throwing the football (save the Vikings), Chicago could generate a lot of positives by putting the quarterbacks under duress.

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