The Chicago Bears have undergone a series of big time changes without really doing anything on a grand scale.

In fact, it has been more what the Bears have not done that has made the bigger difference than what they have chosen to do thus far into the off-season.

The biggest decision that they made, in regard to not doing anything, was the contractual situation with Brian Urlacher.

Urlacher had been reportedly offered a $2 million contract, which his agency countered with $3.5 million for one season .

I think the move to pass on Urlacher was the right choice. Many fans have been up in arms in terms of the Bears “loyalty” and the lovey-dovey fantasy of one player staying with the same team forever.

I get it–I loved watching him play, and I would love to see him still playing, but the facts are the facts. It was evident that what he provided last season was not really good enough to justify more than half of what the Bears have in cap space.

With Jerry Angelo gone, it seems the Bears are finally under management that doesn’t want to just appease the fan base, but has an actual concept of what they are doing. I guarantee you Angelo would have signed Urlacher for what he wanted just to save face with the fans and media outlets.

The Bears have since signed two veteran linebackers with more left in the tank than Urlacher has, in former Carolina Panther linebacker James Anderson, and Denver Bronco backer D.J. Williams.

The caveat to this situation is that Anderson is really not a linebacker you build a core around, and Williams is the kind of player who will probably come with a custom car and entourage to carry all of his personal baggage. Williams has faced multiple DUI charges and a league suspension for a failed drug test.

I think no matter the situation, the Bears are not a contending team this season. I think the linebacker situation will be lower on the totem pole of their concerns, as Jay Cutler and their offense will be under another new ringleader and must find time to adapt to another new playbook.

Urlacher is the first step in Bears fans admitting their team is in a slow rebuilding process, as Cutler will be up for an extension after this season and Brandon Marshall the year after that.

Do you give both of them max money and see how it plays out?

I think without an offensive line, the Bears are stuck in that messy place called football hell.

But hey, thanks for the 12 years, Brian.