Linebacker Angelo Crowell traveled to Buffalo on Monday to have a meeting with the Bills, according to an NFL source.

Crowell, who spent the last six seasons in the Bills’ organization, was considered an unlikely candidate to return to Buffalo after sitting out all of last season with a knee injury.

However, 19 days into the free agency season, Crowell still is looking for a job and the Bills still are looking for a starting outside linebacker.

Crowell, 27, might be the best unrestricted free agent linebacker available. He visited the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.

Crowell gave the Bills three strong years as a starter from 2005 to ’07. On the Thursday before the 2008 season opener in September, he informed the team that he decided to have surgery on his left knee, which had bothered him throughout training camp and even dating to the ’07 season. The Bills were surprised and upset about the timing of the decision, and the team opted to place him on the injured reserve list for the season.

At 245 pounds, Crowell would give the Bills considerably more stoutness at the strong-side linebacker spot than they had last season, when Keith Ellison manned the position. Ellison is listed at 229 pounds. Crowell also has the versatility to play both the strong and weak-side spots.

Crowell was a defensive captain for the Bills in 2007 and led the team in tackles, with 140. He started 16 games in 2007, 12 in ’06 and 13 in ’05.

The Bills entertained two other NFL starting linebackers in the past two weeks. They were Cato June, who was released by Tampa Bay in February, and Freddie Keiaho, who led the Indianapolis Colts in tackles last season. June was a Pro Bowler for the Colts in 2005. Both are products of the same defensive scheme the Bills employ—the 4-3 scheme made popular by former Colts and Bucs coach Tony Dungy. Neither June or Keiaho have quite as much size as Crowell.