The Minnesota Vikings lost middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley to free agency, and linebackers coach Mike Singletary told Ben Goessling of The St. Paul Pioneer Press that it’s “no secret” the team will be targeting someone to fill the position as the offseason continues.

At this point, the Vikings have a hole in the middle of their defense in between linebackers Chad Greenway and Erin Henderson. The Vikings could look to the NFL Draft to fill this void, and one intriguing name the team has been tied to has been Manti Te’o.

If Minnesota would rather acquire a player through free agency, former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher remains a potential fit. It’s unclear how interested Urlacher would be – as his main goal is to join a legitimate contender – while the Vikings will only be interested in him if he drops his asking price, according to reports.

Whatever the case, Urlacher obviously won’t be able to man the position long-term, so you can expect Minnesota to address middle linebacker in some capacity in the upcoming draft.