What you hope for with Cliff Avril

[inkfreq]

I would tend to agree Cheeno.

I personally think he is a product of the line, but he's had an awful lot of sacks and strips to be explained off by the line too.

I think what throws people is that Avril is just not a dynamic rusher... he's got speed and one move, and not much else. So either he makes more out of one move than anyone in history before, or he's the product of an exceptional D-Line.

But I also want to point out that the coaches see a lot of Lo-Jack and Willie Young in practices too, and not only has neither one beaten Cliff out, but management felt strongly enough about Cliff to pay him franchise money.

Seems unlikely that the Lions would franchise an easily replaceable player when their back were up against the cap at the time they did it, and are still tight on financial wiggle room now.

If Willie and Lo-Jack could take his spot, why haven't they done it yet?

 

[zyxt9]

Ink, I counter ur valid point by asking why coaches in general are blind to a backup QB - or any other position - who actually is better than the starter but the starter has the advantage nonetheless? It happens every year across the league where fans and the media begin to question the coach's decision yet nothing changes.

Not saying that is case re: Avril, nor that it is a high percentage of teams / players...but it seems to happen a couple times each year.

 

[inkfreq]

Yeah, but usually those coaches don't keep their jobs very long either and I think Da Schwartz is going to have a pretty good career ahead of him.

 

[lions2011]

you have to keep Lo Jack and Willie Young and Cliff Avril....is their thinking..they love to alternate DLINEMEN and they know this is most likely KVB last year here....letting Cliff walk without fair value in return is assinine , hence them being back into a corner and having to use the tag...you can never have enough good young DEs.

 

[mhughes0021]

Cliff Avril - DL - Lions

Lions president Tom Lewand stated Monday at the Owners Meetings that the club is "aggressively" trying to lock up franchise player Cliff Avril with a long-term contract.
Per franchise tag rules, the sides have until July 15 to finalize a deal. Otherwise, Avril would have to play on his one-year tender. "We?ve been very aggressive in trying to get him done," said Lewand. "We?ve had a lot of discussions with his agent." Avril led the Lions in sacks and forced fumbles last season.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I guess the poll didn't carry itself over..

 

[tsmith7559]

Cliff Avril - DL - Lions

Lions president Tom Lewand stated Monday at the Owners Meetings that the club is "aggressively" trying to lock up franchise player Cliff Avril with a long-term contract.
Per franchise tag rules, the sides have until July 15 to finalize a deal. Otherwise, Avril would have to play on his one-year tender. "We?ve been very aggressive in trying to get him done," said Lewand. "We?ve had a lot of discussions with his agent." Avril led the Lions in sacks and forced fumbles last season.

freeing up some money prior to the draft for a corner???? lets hope we can swing a deal for Asante...these corners we have and even a rookie scare me

 

[Slick]

http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2012/03/cliff_avril_unlikely_to_receiv.html

 

[lp4ever41]

Forget signing a corner...who's left anyways? Trade Cliff and use that money to give extensions (now or next year) to SLH, Levy, LoJack, Durant, Houston, and/or Delmas.

Sounds like the cap won't hit any major spike in 2013 or 2014, so teams are gonna have to be VERY tight with spending.