Will The Lions Be Able To Keep Cliff Avril?

by Brandon on Feb 16, 2012 9:00 PM CST in Green Bay Packers Free Agency

Franchise focus: Cliff Avril - NFC North Blog - ESPN. Matt Millen was a disaster for the Detroit Lions, but one of his last draft picks was his one of his best.

DE Cliff Avril certainly benefits from having DT Ndamukung Suh and DE Kyle Vandenbosch around, but Avril's always been a good pass rusher. He's had between 5 and 11 sacks in each of his first four seasons. And he'll only be 26 years old by the start of the season.

I've been expecting the Lions will keep him, I'm sure they want to, but they've got some major salary cap problems. They are almost at the top of the cap already, and Avril could be worth $10 million per season as a young, proven pass rusher. Do you think the Lions are going to be able to keep him? Even placing the franchise tag on him is a problem because they'd have to immediately clear some room by either releasing players or immediately restructuring other contracts.

Poll

Will Cliff Avril be playing for the Lions in 2012?

Yes

80 votes

No

251 votes

331 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I certainly hope not!

Hope he goes to the Colts so we don’t have to see him in the SB for a few years! : )
CA is a beast!

"SOUTHERN HILLS KENNEL" ~ We Breed The Best Bitches In TEXAS!!!

GO PACK GO!!!

by BirdDogUni on Feb 16, 2012 9:08 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

If only we had the space for him

But we don’t. Anyways, I doubt he’s with the Lions next season. Bad cap situation, and he’ll be getting offers from other teams that the Lions just can’t match.

Tajh Boyd and Dre' Ellington are the future.
Brandon Jennings; Just keep waiting people.

by BlackPack-fan on Feb 16, 2012 9:40 PM CST reply actions 1 recs

CA is a beast at 4 - 3 DE... Not so sure I'd want to pay him what he's going to want to

transition to a 3 – 4 OLB? Might be he makes a great transition, but, there would be a risk, and I think too many 4 – 3 teams are going to be willing to pay a lot more that TT would!

"SOUTHERN HILLS KENNEL" ~ We Breed The Best Bitches In TEXAS!!!

GO PACK GO!!!

by BirdDogUni on Feb 16, 2012 10:52 PM CST up reply actions

I think he started as an OLB.

He made the transition sometime in college to DE, but I agree. I just don’t see us spending that kind of money on a FA over signing some of our guys.

by stratefaced on Feb 17, 2012 8:17 AM CST up reply actions

Thats true

He was a 4-3 linebacker his first two years of college. Plus he’s the right size and hes athletic enough to play 3-4 and dominate. I agree a bit though with birddog that there’s a slight risk that he’ll be less effective.

Tajh Boyd and Dre' Ellington are the future.
Brandon Jennings; Just keep waiting people.

by BlackPack-fan on Feb 17, 2012 11:10 PM CST up reply actions

Would say its a HUGE risk...

He might have been a LB as a Fr and So in college, but its been 7 years or so now that he’s played standing up and probably about 40lbs or so ago. Its a really difficult transition to go from playing w/ your hand down to playing standing up! And w/ the MILLIONS you would have to pay him it would be really foolish to even try.

Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!

by Strohman on Feb 17, 2012 11:19 PM CST up reply actions

Meh, it worked for Super Mario

Mario struggled in coverage, but that’s because he’s 285-290. Meanwhile he was still a force rushing the passer. Avril is only 260, and would still be pretty good rushing the passer, but I think a small dip in production probably will happen, so (considering the money) it’s too big a risk. Somebody else is going to overpay for him anyways.

Tajh Boyd and Dre' Ellington are the future.
Brandon Jennings; Just keep waiting people.

by BlackPack-fan on Feb 17, 2012 11:23 PM CST up reply actions

How did Kampman look rushing the QB standing up?

Mario might have been listed as an OLB but he was only rushing the passer and for all we know he was allowed to do it w/ his hand in the dirt. You don’t just turn that “on”. Avril hasn’t played standing up for 7 yrs… Thats a career in football. A 43 team will pay for his service and rightfully so, but it won’t be a 34 team. Just WAY too much risk for a 34 team to attempt it.

Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!

by Strohman on Feb 17, 2012 11:35 PM CST up reply actions

If TT were in charge..

He’d probably keep Avril and cut Vanden bosch, who is on the wrong side of 30..not sure Vanden bosch’s cap number though..I assume it’s pretty high

I love wins. Wins are good for the soul.- Barry Alvarez Sep 25, 2005

We expect to win.- Ted Thompson July 28, 2011

by White92 on Feb 17, 2012 9:40 AM CST reply actions

They will restructure contracts to make it work

Just my guess though.

by Chief Oshkosh on Feb 17, 2012 11:56 AM CST reply actions

You are right Chief. Mayhew will do what it takes to keep Avril.

He is too important to the Lions scheme to let him go. An established pass rusher and big play maker like Cliff is not easy to find. Especially at 26 years of age.

"I’m sorry for all the people who want us to run the ball 40 times a game, but we’re going to put the ball in No. 9’s hands and he’s going to make plays for us like he did today," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. Amen to that Jim!

by NorthLeft12 on Feb 19, 2012 4:12 PM CST up reply actions

FTFY

but they’ve got some M~~ajor~~ike S~~alary~~herman-esque cap problems

"Perfection is not attainable,
but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence!"

After further review,
The Munsters of the Midway still suck,
Skol is a four-letter word,
abd those upstarts in Detroit couldn't beat the Little Sisters of the Poor.

by NorthStarr on Feb 17, 2012 11:06 PM CST reply actions

If there is any FA we should attempt to acquire it's Avril

Avril played OLB at Perdue so he’s been playing out of position for quite a while. If we could get Avril it would allow us to address more areas in the draft that just a pass rush.

It would be a worthwhile investment.

Pending Collins’ status this could allow us to maybe draft a Safety like Barron in the first round who may plumment in the draft anyway due to a recent hernia.

Then in the second round we can take defensive end like Jared Crick or similar.

by southpaw447 on Feb 20, 2012 4:10 PM CST reply actions

Or...

Maybe he was playing out of position at Purdue. Considering the success he’s had playing DE in the NFL. Granted the fact he played LB at Purdue would help him possibly transition to 34 OLB, but its not a certainty. Plus he would cost the Packer ALOT of money. And likely the ability to sign Wells and Finley.

Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!

by Strohman on Feb 20, 2012 4:33 PM CST up reply actions

Just read his bio...

He played his last 2 years at Purdue as a DE, not OLB… 35 college starts, 12 at SamOLB in a 43, and 23 as a LDE. Starting early in his Jr. year, he was a DE…

Our Biggest Challenge is how we deal w/ Success!

by Strohman on Feb 20, 2012 4:38 PM CST up reply actions