Avril watch 2013

[Lionsfanfromsac]

Defensive end Cliff Avril is ranked as NFL.com's sixth-best player slated to make it to free agency next week. It doesn't sound like the Detroit Lions are going to keep him off the market.

Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press writes that there has been minimal contact between the Lions and Avril regarding a new contract, although the two sides "expect to talk" this week.

"(This week will) give me a good idea of what's going on, if I'll be here or if I'll be gone," Avril told Birkett. "This week will definitely gauge that, I guess."

Translation: The Lions haven't made Avril a priority yet. A strong pass rusher who always hustles, Avril is not a great player against the run. He's not on the field that much (66 percent last year) for a top-tier player. Avril and coach Jim Schwartz ran into one another at Kyle Vanden Bosch's wedding last weekend, but the chit chat was kept casual. Perhaps the Lions are slow playing the negotiation as a tactic.

It could be working. Avril sounds like a guy who knows he might have turned down his best offer a year ago: three years and $30 million.

"I think we had a chance to make it happen, but sometimes you feel like you might be worth more," Avril said about that offer. "Or it's not necessarily you feel like you're worth more, it's what the market is. If you place what some of the guys got paid and your stats are better or whatever the case may be, that's what the market is, so you kind of want to be around that range. Last year's market was pretty high, and I guess they weren't willing to do that."

This year's market is not expected to go quite as high. Avril will get his money because solid young starters always do. But it doesn't sound like that money will come from the Lions.

[Lionsfanfromsac]

Sounds like Avrils contract numbers may have gone down, maybe not signing him Last year was a good tactic? In Meyhew we trust again?

[****ed in DET]

I don’t see how we can afford the guy.

[LionsFan..LOL]

He's as good as gone still in my mind.

[whooligun]

I would like to see him back. If we can afford him.

[LionsFan..LOL]

For the right price I'd agree with that. Imagine the havoc he could cause with Ezekial Ansah (potentially opposite him) along with Suh and Fairey in the middle.

[blujaysrock]

A strong pass rusher who always hustles

And how many times did we see him give up on plays this year or start celebrating a fumble like a dumbass instead of recovering it?

Need someone better than that if you're shelling out 12M+ a year.


If he wants to sign 4 years 40M or something, I'd be down. But that's about as much as he should get

[Slug3]

I still see Indy giving him a big deal.

[driz]

Sounds like Avrils contract numbers may have gone down, maybe not signing him Last year was a good tactic? In Meyhew we trust again?

I'm not so sure his decline in play and losing a bunch of games was too much of a negotiation tactic!

[levignjw]

Going to command way more than he's worth. Good riddance.

[levignjw]

Browns are targetting him:

The Cleveland Browns have more cap space than team heading into free agency. According to a recent report from the NFL Management Council, the Browns have more than $47 million to spend this offseason.

With new ownership, management and coaches in place, there's little doubt Cleveland will be looking to make some splash signings.

According to a Cleveland Plain Dealer report, one of the Browns' top targets will be Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril.

Avril, 26, has tallied 29 sacks over the past three seasons for the Lions and is considered one of the top pass-rushers on the market.

Under new defensive coordinator Ray Horton, the Browns will retain their 3-4 base defense. That would indicate Avril is being targeted as an outside linebacker in the scheme.

Avril rejected the Lions' three-year, $30 million offer last season, opting to play under the $10.6 million franchise tender. In a recent interview with NFL Radio, he admitted he felt he was worth more based on the contracts being signed by his peers.

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf...l#incart_river

[****ed in DET]

Avril might be better as a 3-4 LB.

[levignjw]

i agree

[JMDTM]

I still see Indy giving him a big deal.

or the jags. avril, babin, and andre branch could be a good threesome. no pun

[JWO35]

Avril might be better as a 3-4 LB.

Ding*Ding*Ding

That's why I don't want him back(for the reported money he wants), unless we switch our Defense to a 3-4....