"How long do you think you can play?" Urlacher, 30, was asked.

"Until I'm done," he answered. "I think I'll have a good idea when it's time."

Only he knows when. But Urlacher publicly pondering his retirement near the end of his ninth season brought necessary attention to the Bears' revised Super Bowl calendar. How long till they go back?

What role, if any, will veterans such as Urlacher play in that process?

This season was the fifth in coach Lovie Smith's five-year- plan, ideally intended to culminate with a Super Bowl title. That seems unlikely now that the Bears no longer even control their own destiny to win the NFC North. Whether the Bears crawl into the playoffs or not, the organization faces some tough decisions about the core of a team that has changed since the 2006 NFC Championship run.

The good news about formulating a plan at Halas Hall always was that the defense was full of veterans. Now, that also could be interpreted as the bad news.

Lance Briggs took umbrage this week when asked if the Bears defense might feel any more urgency to avoid missing the playoffs for a second straight year because it was aging.

"Aging, like a senior citizen?" Briggs said good-naturedly. "I don't feel like I'm aging, I feel like I'm aging well. We have a lot of veterans. Now is important because it is now. There's a sense of we need to do it now . . . but if we don't do it now, we'll do it next year."

Maybe, maybe not. The only certain thing at this point of the season: Division title or not, the final four games pack plenty of meaning for 2009 as well as '08 for an evolving roster.

The Bears likely will conclude it doesn't require a Big Bang approach to leave the roster in pieces. But the evolution of their next Super Bowl contender could require subtle yet significant philosophical changes for a franchise that cannot make many of the same assumptions this off-season it has in the past.

CORE VETERANS

Like it or not, these guys are locked in long term for Lovie Smith and the Bears

Devin Hester, WR

Still physically capable of greatness

Lance Briggs, LB

Best player on team

Tommie Harris, DT

Find way to maximize talent and minimize health risk

Charles Tillman, CB

Could move to free safety be best for everybody?

Alex Brown, DE

Productive player whose effort and leadership are essential

Desmond Clark, TE

Still can create mismatches

Patrick Mannelly, LS

Mr. Automatic

Robbie Gould, K

Kickoffs have improved, and maybe one day coaches will let him try FG from 50-plus

Brad Maynard, P

Overlooked 12th defensive starter

Jason McKie, FB

Didn't think you would miss him till that third-and-goal, huh?

Roberto Garza, G

Solid and affordable; contract runs through 2011

Greg Olsen, TE

Needs to take next step

YEAR TO YEAR

Life after 30 means no assumptions for these three

Brian Urlacher, LB

Has dropped hints about retiring sooner rather than later, and doesn't need the money

Olin Kreutz, C

Centers have long shelf lives, and it's hard to imagine Bears line without irascible No. 57

Mike Brown, S

Has stayed on field but doesn't have same range; contract for next year isn't lock

PLAYED WAY INTO CORE

Strong '08 made these four untouchable

Matt Forte, RB

M-V-P

Corey Graham, CB

Most improved Bear

Marcus Harrison, DT

Could be Bears' best defensive tackle next year

Kevin Payne, S

More natural at strong safety, but has ability to be difference-maker

PLAYED WAY OUT OF CORE

Iffy '08 clouded status of these seven

Nathan Vasher, CB

Nine starts in two injury-plagued seasons after getting big money has made target on back bigger

Mark Anderson, DE

Remember him?

Hunter Hillenmeyer, LB

Overachiever benched but poured energy into special teams

Dusty Dvoracek, DT

It's not ability in question, it's durability

Rashied Davis, WR

Early success made new contract look smart; late-season slump has shown limitations

Jamar Williams, LB

Mystery why team has lost faith in one-time Briggs successor

Brandon McGowan, S

See Dvoracek, Dusty

DECISION TIME

Commit to four entering final year of deals?

Adewale Ogunleye, DE

How many sacks in contract year? Bears should find out

John Tait, T

Key piece to organizational puzzle does his job, but he will be 34 in next opener

Israel Idonije, DT

Changed agents to get big money, and probably worth it

Danieal Manning, S

One Bears wouldn't miss till he's gone

AUGUST AUDITIONS

These nine will need good training camp for '09 roster spot

Joey LaRocque, LB

Solid hustler

Trumaine McBride, CB

Competition will get only tougher

Caleb Hanie, QB

Bourbonnais loves "Caleb Hania"

Ervin Baldwin, DE

Athletic enough to get roster look

Earl Bennett, WR

Vanderbilt folks swear y'all are wrong about Bennett

Dan Buenning, G

Veteran depth is always good for O-line

Matt Toeaina, DT

Could help cause if finishes strong

Brandon Rideau, WR

Mr. August needs chance in fall

Zackary Bowman, CB

Next year's Corey Graham?

ON THE FRINGE

Five role players probably worth a closer look

Nick Roach, LB

Good special-teamer provides quality

Garrett Wolfe, RB

Who knew he could tackle? He never will be Warrick Dunn as GM Jerry Angelo bragged but Bears don't need him to be

Adrian Peterson, RB

Solid backup a locker-room favorite

Craig Steltz, S

Lack of depth will give him shot

Kellen Davis, TE

Logjam at position but has potential

STILL LIKELY TO JOIN

Final month could help cement future for these five

Kyle Orton, QB

As Angelo said, time is Bears' ally in evaluating likely QB of future

Josh Beekman, G

Not always pretty, but second-year player gained respect this season

John St. Clair, T/G

Versatility makes him worth keeping

Chris Williams, T

Still a curiosity, but Bears think he will be big part of next playoff run

Anthony Adams, DT

All guy does is produce quietly when asked

DON'T GET ATTACHED

Six ex-Bears to be?

Brandon Lloyd, WR

Slow-healer hard to fi nd since knee injury

Terrence Metcalf, G

Penciled-in starter was big news twice: Day of knee surgery and day suspended

Marty Booker, WR

Thanks for the memories

Kevin Jones, RB

Never going to get carries he wants with Forte around

Marcus Hamilton, CB

Chicago legacy already written in Atlanta

Rex Grossman, QB Deserves change of scenery

dhaugh@tribune.com