Outside linebacker Justin Durant has agreed to a two-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys which will be finalized when they clear enough cap space.

Durant spent the last two seasons with the Detroit Lions as a starter alongside Stephen Tulloch and DeAndre Levy. 

  It’s not a huge surprise that he wasn’t re-signed by the Lions. It was expected that either he or Levy would return. Levy signed a new three-year deal on March 6.

Durant is a big loss.

He played in 14 games last season and had 103 tackles, half a sack and three pass defenses. He played in a dozen games in 2011. Prior to joining the Lions he played four seasons in Jacksonville.

The Lions could draft to fill the position. Jarvis Jones out of Georgia would fit the bill in the first round.

  Also the Lions expect Ashlee Palmer to compete for the starting job, along with young guys like Tahir Whitehead and Travis Lewis who were rookies last season.

  Durant sent out two gracious tweets today: “Shout out to Detroit man I wanna thank y'all for the luv and support y'all showed me the past couple years I really appreciate it.”

 And ...  I thank the organization for allowing me the opportunity to play the last 2 years I am forever grateful.”

(Follow @PaulaPasche on Twitter. Order her new book,  “100 Things Lions Fans Should Know & Do Before They Die’’ here. It’s also available at bookstores.)