NFL Free Agency: Which of Keith Bulluck's Three Dream Teams Is the Best Fit?

Former Tennessee Titans and New York Giants outside linebacker Keith Bulluck recently told Fox Sports' Adam Schein of three teams he'd like to play for.

Among those teams were the Giants, the Detroit Lions, and of course the New England Patriots.

Neither of the first two teams surprised me, but it was his naming of the New England Patriots as a possible landing spot that caught me off guard.

The 3-4 isn't a natural fit for him physically, and is completely foreign to him mentally.

His small frame of 6'3" and 235 pounds suggests he wouldn't be too successful in pass rushing situations, which happens to be where the Patriots need the most help—or at least it seems that way, headed into the 2011 season.

What he does bring is great field awareness. He's a tackling machine, having tallied up 152 stops in 2004 to lead all NFL players.

That being said, the Patriots don't need another run-stuffing linebacker. Especially not one who appears too small to take on offensive tackles one-on-one on the edge, and especially not one who's not familiar with the defense the Patriots run.

The Patriots need veteran leaders, but what good would he be as a mentor to the young group of Patriots outside linebackers if he doesn't understand the defense?

However, the other two teams—the Giants and the Lions—both seem like good fits.

Having played for the Giants last year, it doesn't surprise me much that he'd want to put their name in the mix. He's 34 years old, and we're in the midst of the longest work stoppage in NFL history. Why burn a bridge?

The 4-3 is a natural fit for him, having played in that style of defense for all 11 years of his professional career. He has performed incredibly well, almost entirely under the radar with 1,081 total tackles, 18 sacks and 21 interceptions.

After an underwhelming outing in 2010, though, who knows if the Giants would even want to bring him back.

Almost all of those stats came with the Tennessee Titans, which brings me to the Lions. Yes, Detroit's head coach Jim Schwartz was once the defensive coordinator for those very same Titans. Bulluck may not have a return to prominence, but with his long history of success in Schwartz's defense, there's a greater opportunity for him to make an impact.

The Lions could have a need at Will linebacker with the departure of Julian Peterson, but something tells me the Lions wouldn't be too keen on the 34-year-old replacing the 33-year-old. Of course, this does nothing to detract from the value he could bring simply as a mentor to Ashlee Palmer, who could be the future at Will for the Lions.

Which of the two, then, should pursue Bulluck with the most veracity?

The Detroit Lions are the most in need of veteran leadership across the board. They have a very young nucleus on both offense and defense, and with a few key leaders to take charge of the team, they could take the next step that so many people think they're capable of taking.

If I'm Jim Schwartz, I will be to Keith Bulluck what Rex Ryan was to Bart Scott—banging on the door, hoping to persuade him into my locker room.

In that sense, Bulluck and Scott are similar. They may not be the physical specimen most teams are after, and they may not put up the gaudy sack numbers everyone rants and raves about. What they bring, though, is a great football attitude and a high football IQ.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter @erikfrenz.