Free agent MLB Jasper Brinkley will visit the Giants Wednesday. The Giants are not expected to bring back lead-footed incumbent Chase Blackburn, leaving a gaping hole in the middle. Brinkley is a two-down thumper that racked up 98 tackles in 16 games for the Vikings last year.

Vikings MLB Jasper Brinkley suffered a minor shoulder injury in Sunday's loss. He's been diagnosed with an AC sprain, which is typically an injury that can be played through. We doubt Brinkley misses Week 13. Brinkley has 70 tackles and a forced fumble through 11 games this season, but has graded out as one of Pro Football Focus' worst inside linebackers.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier indicated Monday that MLB Jasper Brinkley would continue to operate as an every-down player going forward. Brinkley was supposed to be a two-down thumper, but the Vikings like him in the three-down role with WLB Erin Henderson exiting in the nickel. Brinkley has 15 tackles (8 solo), a pass breakup, and a forced fumble in his last two games.

Vikings MLB Jasper Brinkley (groin, hip) is healthy heading into Week 1. Brinkley missed all of 2011 with a hip injury, and was limited throughout the offseason program. He avoided setbacks in camp, however, and racked up four tackles and two sacks in the third preseason game. The Vikings are hoping Brinkley can anchor their run defense after E.J. Henderson was allowed to walk in free agency. Brinkley is expected to see limited snaps outside the base defense.

Vikings MLB Jasper Brinkley (groin, hip) insists that he is back to full health. "I just had a little strain," he said in a Friday interview. "I'm ready to go." Brinkley missed a large chunk of the team's offseason workouts after a groin strain and hip surgery that cost him the entire 2011 season. Coach Leslie Frazier and GM Rick Spielman are on record as being concerned with Brinkley's durability, but he's still in line to work as the team's starting middle linebacker.

The groin injury that kept Vikings MLB Jasper Brinkley out of June minicamp is "minor," according to the St. Paul Pioneer-Press. Although GM Rick Spielman conceded that durability is a concern following hip surgery, beat writer Jeremy Fowler reports the team is "still banking on him to play a prominent role." Brinkley was merely dealing with minor soreness in minicamp and should be healthy by August.

Vikings GM Rick Spielman acknowledged Sunday that the team is concerned with MLB Jasper Brinkley's durability. Brinkley missed all of minicamp with a groin injury that may be related to the serious hip injury that cost him the entire 2011 season. "There's some concern there, definitely," Spielman said. "The durability is a question right now." The Vikings may want to look into a free agent such as Gary Brackett ahead of training camp. Brinkley isn't shaping up as a reliable commodity for 2012.

The Vikings don't believe that Jasper Brinkley's current groin injury is related to his 2011 hip surgery. Brinkley missed the entire 2011 season, so any injury in that area is something to monitor. The Vikings' new middle linebacker is sitting out minicamp. "You can't make him go out there and practice if you know it's going to create some issues for him health-wise, but it does definitely make you concerned," coach Leslie Frazier said.

Nursing a sore groin, Vikings MLB Jasper Brinkley is not participating in this week's minicamp. Brinkley acknowledges that the injury is related to the hip injury that caused him to sit out the entire 2011 season. It's a concern because Brinkley is slated to be a first-year starter in place of free agent E.J. Henderson. Second-year player Tyrone McKenzie filled in for Brinkley in Tuesday's practice.

The Vikings didn't draft any legitimate middle linebackers, essentially locking in Jasper Brinkley as their starter there. Rookie Audie Cole projects more as a reserve in the middle and on the strong side, and will focus on special teams. ESPN 1500 Twin Cities projects Brinkley as a two-down player only, with Chad Greenway and Erin Henderson staying on the field as Minnesota's lone two linebackers in the nickel defensive package.