Now that the Vikings have unveiled their billion-dollar plans for a glass stadium, fans will soon turn their attention back to the gaping hole they can see through at middle linebacker.

Enter Brian Urlacher?

According to Chicago Sun-Times gossip columnist Michael Sneed, the longtime Bears star is close to making a decision about his football future. And he’s looking north.

“Brian is leaning toward heading to Minnesota and is talking a one- to two-year contract,” Sneed said Tuesday, quoting a source “close to Urlacher.”

Sneed says the eight-time Pro Bowler, who turned up his nose at the Bears’ $1.6 million contract offer back in March, also is talking to the Denver Broncos.

Whatever offer Urlacher takes, it will be a far cry from the $7.5 million he made last season in Chicago, when he managed only 53 tackles and no sacks over 12 games.

For their part, the Vikings previously announced plans to move Erin Henderson from weakside linebacker to the middle. They also drafted two Penn State linebackers (Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti) in April’s draft.

None of them, though, is a five-time All-Pro like Urlacher. The question is how much the 13-year veteran has left in the tank.



Follow Kevin Cusick on twitter.com/theloopnow.