Credit: Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

By all accounts, Stephen Tulloch remains a priority for the Detroit Lions. However, that doesn’t mean they will be willing to pay more than they’d like to keep him. Tulloch is reportedly looking for at least $6 million per year, a nice raise from the $3.25 million he played for last year.

The linebacker position has been one of the slowest developing markets in this year’s free agency period. The players are looking for big deals while the teams are reluctant to meet those demands. D’Qwell Jackson‘s deal with the Browns (5 years, $42.5 million; $19 million guaranteed) is being held as the gold standard by players looking for new deals but that doesn’t mean others will get the same if other teams believe the Browns overpaid to keep Jackson.

The only other coveted linebacker to sign so far has been Dan Connor who received a two-year deal from the Dallas Cowboys. He’ll get $6.5 million over the next two years – the same average salary Tulloch played for last year. Connor ranks second on Rotoworld’s rankings of free agent linebackers while Tulloch ranks sixth.

The Lions are moving forward with a contingency plan if money becomes a brick wall in preventing Tulloch from returning to Detroit. Their interest in David Hawthorne was reported when free agency opened last week and now he is scheduled to meet with the team on Tuesday.

Hawthorne previously met with the Saints who have also shown interest in Curtis Lofton. The linebacker market may have been slow to develop but both teams and players should be starting to get a pretty good idea where things stand. All that remains to be seen is which side gives in to the demands of the other first.

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November 20, 2011; St. Louis, MO, USA; St. Louis Rams running back Steven Jackson (39) is tackled by Seattle Seahawks middle linebacker David Hawthorne (57) in the second half at the Edward Jones Dome. Seattle defeated St. Louis 24-7. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-US PRESSWIRE

While most Lions fans are attentively waiting word on the future of Stephen Tulloch, the Lions are reportedly splitting their attention between Tulloch and another free agent linebacker.

While the Lions are deciding what to do at MLB, including whether to re-sign Tulloch, they’re showing interest in David Hawthorne, I’m told.

— Adam Caplan (@caplannfl) March 13, 2012

Hawthorne played in 11 games for the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted rookie in 2008 and has started 41 games over the last three seasons while missing just one.

His ability to play inside or outside would give the Lions coaching staff the flexibility to find the best fit in the middle if Hawthorne comes to town and Tulloch departs. It is also worth noting that the Lions may have room on the depth chart at linebacker even if Tulloch returns considering the expected departure of Bobby Carpenter and Ashlee Palmer.

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