Could Bears be in play for Jason Babin?

The sinking ship that is the Philadelphia Eagles has been tossing employees overboard lately, except for head coach Andy Reid.

But the Eagles surprised some when they released two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Jason Babin Tuesday, and the Bears are believed to be among the teams interested in him.

During the 2011 offseason, Babin received interest from several teams, including the Bears, but he signed a five-year, $27 million contract with the Eagles. He immediately rewarded the Eagles with 18 sacks. But Babin has just 5 1/2 sacks this season, and he was released today.

Babin is subject to the waiver claims process, which means the teams with the worst record gets the first shot at him. Since he’s 32 years old, Babin probably isn’t too thrilled about the prospect of the Jacksonville Jaguars claiming him.

Meanwhile, Babin could draw serious interest from some contenders in need of a pass rusher. While Babin is more of a pass-rushing specialist, he could thrive on a team that essentially wants him for that specific role. For the Bears, Babin could line up in obvious passing situations, like third and long.

The cost for Babin isn’t too steep. He’s owed about $1.4 million for the remainder of this season, and he’s under contract next year for $4.2 million.

The Bears currently have $4.4 million in salary cap space, which means they have the room to claim Babin. But the Bears also likely are working to sign a couple of players to long-term deals.