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Sedrick Ellis to visit Lions, Bears after meeting Patriots

The New England Patriots are running a conga line at defensive tackle this offseason, adding Armond Armstead and Tommy Kelly while surprisingly dumping key 2012 contributors Brandon Deaderick and Kyle Love.

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Next to join the line could be Sedrick Ellis. The former New Orleans Saints first-round draft pick visited the Patriots on Friday, Comcast SportsNet New England's Tom Curran reported.

The Saints considered re-signing Ellis before the draft, and the Arizona Cardinals reportedly had some level of interest, but he has been faced with a cold market for nearly three months. This is Ellis' first known visit since the onset of free agency.

One of the biggest busts of the 2008 draft class, Ellis made 70 starts with the Saints as a liability against the run. Although billed as a pass-rushing, three-technique tackle, Ellis has managed just 12.5 sacks in five seasons.

UPDATE: A source informed of Ellis' plans told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport on Monday that the defensive tackle will visit the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears this week. His market finally is heating up as teams free up salary-cap space with post-June 1 release designations going through.

Follow Chris Wesseling on Twitter @ChrisWesseling.