Patriots eye ex-Bears DL

Continuing to explore options, the Patriots hosted veteran defensive lineman Ian Scott yesterday at Gillette Stadium.

Scott, 25 , enters his fifth NFL season after four years in Chicago.

The 6-foot-3-inch, 302-pound Scott is one of the top defensive linemen available in free agency, having appeared in 49 regular-season games with 33 starts, as well as a start in Super Bowl XLI.

Scott has visited the Vikings, Broncos, and Falcons, while the Bears would consider bringing him back.

Scott was considered more of a run stuffer when the Bears drafted him in the fourth round out of Florida, projected to play a similar role as burly veterans Ted Washington and Keith Traylor, who plugged the middle of Chicago's 4-3 defense.

Scott lost his starting job to Tank Johnson in 2006, before regaining it after Johnson got into off-field trouble.

MIKE REISS