The hope is that this scenario is not looming with Brian Urlacher:
Detroit Lions safety Louis Delmas has had to undergo surgery on his left knee to address a problem from an injury that occurred last Thanksgiving. As Michael David Smith over at ProFootballTalk.com notes, the fact that he needed surgery for an injury he suffered more than eight months ago has to be a concern.
It is a concern for the Lions, who have problems in their secondary. Delmas was the best part of that group, which already saw cornerback Aaron Berry cut after a second DUI arrest and Eric Wright leave through free agency.
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Apart from specifics of their injuries, the hope is that Urlacher and Delmas are not on similar tracks.
Urlacher has missed a week of practice, excused for unspecified personal reasons on Monday and Tuesday, and this is related to soreness in a knee that was injured during game 16 in Minnesota.
There has been no hint at surgery in Urlachers case. But the Bears waited on knee surgery for Gabe Carimi (conservative treatment is seldom a bad idea) and it eventually required two surgeries and the offseason to recover. Carimi is back practicing on a managed level. Urlacher already has had his offseason.
Urlacher has missed games in only two of his 12 NFL seasons. Until he is a scratch in Septemberwhich has never happened in his careerconcern is understandable but history is on his and the Bears side.