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The Browns are interested in signing safety Donte Whitner as a free agent, a source has told cleveland.com.

(AP)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Browns are "very serious'' about signing Cleveland native Donte Whitner, the 49ers safety, and they're one of his top choices, a source close to Whitner told cleveland.com Monday.

Whitner, the hard-sitting two-time Pro Bowl safety, would replace T.J. Ward, who's also set to become an unrestricted free agent on Tuesday.

The Browns are one of Whitner's top two or three teams, the source said. Others interested are the Bears and Jets -- and the 49ers are still in the mix.

"Donte would love to come back and play for his hometown team,'' the source said. "It would mean a lot to him and to his family. It would be a dream come true for him.''

Whitner, who starred at Glenville High and Ohio State, is heading into his ninth season, but he's only 28. For comparison's sake, Ward, who's heading into his fifth season, is 27. When Whitner was drafted No. 8 overall by the Bills in 2006, he was only 20 years old, the youngest player to be drafted at the time.

More on NFL free agency 2014

Monday: Six free-agent LBs and DLs the Browns may have interest in

Sunday: Six receivers and tight ends Browns may look at

Saturday: Five quarterbacks and halfbacks on Browns' radar

Friday: Six offensive linemen Browns may consider

Chris Fedor's Top 25 overall free agents for 2014

He spent his first five seasons with the Bills and signed with the 49ers as a free agent in 2011. Since then, he's been to three NFC Championship Games and the Super Bowl.

In addition to his ferocious hitting, Whitner would fill some of the leadership void left by the departure of linebacker D'Qwell Jackson, who signed last week with the Colts.

Whitner, who picked off Tom Brady in his first NFL game, has contemplated changing his name to Hitner.

He was voted to his second Pro Bowl this season after finishing the year with 73 tackles, 12 passes defensed and two forced fumbles. Whitner would pair with free safety Tashuan Gipson.

The Browns' pursuit of Whitner would seem to explain why they didn't inquire about Bills free safety Jairus Byrd on Saturday, the first day of the negotiating period. Byrd's position overlaps more with that of Gipson, while Whitner would be a big-hitting run-stopper to replace Ward.