With the Chicago Bears allowed to reach out to other teams' free agents Tuesday morning, it appears the team is prepared to start looking at other options at strong-side linebacker.
According to a source, the Bears already have reached out about unrestricted free agent Justin Durant from the Jaguars and the signing of Durant "could happen." The Bears are looking for another option alongside Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs, with Nick Roach an unrestricted free agent set to test the market and Pisa Tinoisamoa, also a free agent, coming off major knee surgery. Tinoisamoa would be limited in training camp if re-signed by the Bears.
Durant has been high on the Detroit Lions' radar, too, so it will be interesting to see if this becomes a battle of NFC North teams.
The 6-foot-1-inch, 240-pound Durant started 10 games last season with the Jaguars and had 55 tackles.
Durant missed some time last season with ankle and groin injuries but had been an effective player for the Jaguars in four seasons.
"I felt like when I was in there that I was important to the defense, and I was contributing a lot," Durant told the Florida Times-Union. "I had a couple injuries, a couple setbacks. They were nagging all year."
The Bears can negotiate with other team's free agents Tuesday but those players can't sign until Friday. If Durant were to sign, he couldn't join the team for practice until the new league year starts, Aug. 4.
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