More than just a little interest: Urlacher scheduled to meet with Vikings

Nov 4, 2012; Nashville, TN, USA; Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher (54) pursues a Tennessee Titans ball carrier during the second half at LP Field. The Bears beat the Titans 51-20. Mandatory credit: Don McPeak-US Presswire

When the initial report came out about the Vikings’ contact with Brian Urlacher’s camp and their “monitoring” of the situation, it was met with doubt and skepticism.

Apparently it is more than just a little interest.

The 34-year-old free agent middle linebacker is scheduled to meet with the Vikings, according to Mike Mulligan via a Chicago radio station broadcast on 670 The Score—by way of Dan Durkin of CBS Local.

Details of the date are not known.

It was initially reported from a Chicago Tribune report by Mulligan that Minnesota has been in contact with Urlacher’s camp and that the Vikings still believe Urlacher eventually would remain with Chicago.

Per Mulligan’s Tribune report, the free agent linebacker is expecting “a deal in the range of the $5.5 million that Ray Lewis earned in his last season with Baltimore.”

The latest update on Urlacher’s contract demands is that he is seeking a two-year $11 million deal with a $4 million bonus. This latest demand is a steep price for both Chicago and Minnesota to pay.

If Urlacher’s camp is attempting to generate interest to receive a better deal from the Bears, as several reports suggests, they have their stone cold poker face on. Possibly learning from Anquan Boldin’s failed recent “stay or retire” stance with Baltimore that resulted in him being traded to San Francisco, Urlacher can’t expect Chicago to offer much if they don’t believe he has any intention of playing elsewhere.

Whatever the intentions, a Minnesota and Urlacher marriage does makes some sense since he would be familiar with the Vikings’ Tampa-2 system and that Minnesota has a hole at middle linebacker with Jasper Brinkley likely headed elsewhere in free agency. The Vikings could target a middle linebacker in the upcoming NFL Draft and groom him behind Urlacher for a year or two.