All of the focus on Wednesday has been on what free agent linebacker Stephen Tulloch is going to do, but it appears the Detroit Lions are close to making a deal with another linebacker.
The Chicago Tribune's Vaughn McClure tweeted that the Lions have agreed to terms on a two-year deal with linebacker Justin Durant. Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press spoke to Durant's agent, who said that a deal is not done yet. Birkett tweeted that things could be getting close, so it may only be a matter of time until Durant is a Lion.
While it's a bit surprising that this news is breaking as we wait to hear from Tulloch, Mike O'Hara did report earlier this month that Durant was at the top of the Lions' list of linebacker targets. Detroit reportedly liked Durant more than Tulloch because he is more athletic and more versatile.
Perhaps all of the Tulloch talk was a smokescreen, or perhaps he is still in the mix. There was talk on Twitter earlier that Gil Brandt said in interview tonight that the word on the street is Tulloch is headed to Detroit. Brandt also reportedly said "something special is about to happen," so perhaps he was alluding to the Lions landing both Durant and Tulloch. I would be surprised, but stranger things have happened.
More on this as it develops.