ALLEN PARK — Any question about why the Lions are not reporting agreements made with free agents, was cleared up Thursday morning when a team spokesman read the edict from the NFL.

Teams are not allowed to make announcements until a free agent is signed and they are not allowed to be signed until 6 p.m. on Friday. Negotiations started at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

Reportedly the Lions have agreed to a deal with outside linebacker Justin Durant who played the last four seasons at Jacksonville. A bit injury-prone, he’s never played 16 games in a season. Last year the 25-year-old played in 10, starting nine of those.

Durant confirmed the deal through a series of tweets on Wednesday night.

The Lions are reportedly also interested in linebacker Stephen Tulloch, a former teammate of Kyle Vanden Bosch’s with the Titans.

No word on the status of Chris Houston. Reportedly the Lions are also in play for cornerback Johnathon Joseph who spent last five seasons with Cincinnati.

(Follow me on Twitter @PaulaPasche.)