Cliff Avril Doesn't Want Franchise Tag Either............

I know this should probably be in the Rivals Forum and the staff is certainly welcome to move it if they see fit. I just thought I'd start it here since Avril has been a talked about FA as far as the Bears are concerned.

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Cliff Avril doesn't want to play tag with Lions

Defensive end hopeful for long-term deal Brad Biggs



http://s7.addthis.com/static/btn/sm-share-en.gif Print This February 02, 2012, 08:24 AM EST
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Cliff Avril wants to be back in Motown next season. But he doesn’t want to be there playing under the franchise tag.


The defensive end for the Detroit Lions is, like most players in his situation, opposed to the one-year tender even though it is expected to be worth a little more than $10 million this coming season.


“I definitely don’t want to be franchised,” Avril said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I mean, I’ve been in Detroit for four years, and I wouldn’t mind being there for another couple more years or whatnot. The franchise tag kind of makes it a yearly thing, and you want security. You want to know you’re going to be there for a couple years so your family can get comfortable.” (I always wonder why college educated men would say something like this. I think most normal Americans could get very comfortable with $10 mil even if means they had to move from Detroit or New York to BumFuck, Idaho and back again once every year. This just proves my theory that a college education doesn't make you smart. Just educated)


If the Lions do not place the tag on Avril before the March 5 deadline, he will be an unrestricted free agent starting March 13. That’s if the club isn’t able to work out a long-term extension. He’d be one of the top players on the open market with a premium on pass rushers.


As Birkett points out, Lions general manager Martin Mayhew has not used the franchise tag in three years. But that doesn’t mean he’ll keep it in his pocket this time around.


“They quote-unquote don’t want to use it anyway, so we’ll see,” said Avril, who had 11 sacks last season. “Kind of getting positive vibes as far as for me being there again next year. Hopefully, we can meet in the middle and make it happen, because I’d definitely love to be there.”


It would be interesting to learn what Avril’s idea of the middle is right now. We’ve got a feeling that is a high number. He might just get it, though. (It would shock me if he didn't)


Follow me on Twitter: @BradBiggs

Brad Biggs covers the Bears for the Chicago Tribune

As much as I'd love to see the Bears have a shot at him I just don't see the Lions letting him become a free agent. Like it or not Cliff they will franchise you if they have to. I think we have as much chance of getting Avril as Tiger Woods has of reconciling with Elin. Or in other words don't plan FA and the draft around it happening.

I thought the Lions were in bad cap shape. To tag him at that salary would be difficult. That said, I agree with the potential to become a Bear anyway, given the price we pay for JP.

Cliff Avril has done anything worthy of getting a Lifetime Achievement Award in my opinion. He's played maybe four years, and only has one season with more than eight sacks. Who says he worth the average salary of the top five defensive ends in the league that would come with the franchise tag? I certainly don't think he is.

As it stands, I think the Bears would rather go for a more proven commodity at DE. They'll go after Mathis I would imagine since the Colts are changing up defenses. He will not fit in a 3-4 defense, but he would do well in Lovie's defense, seeing as how it was based on Tony Dungy's Tampa 2.

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Originally Posted by soulman

“I definitely don’t want to be franchised,” Avril said, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “I mean, I’ve been in Detroit for four years, and I wouldn’t mind being there for another couple more years or whatnot. The franchise tag kind of makes it a yearly thing, and you want security. You want to know you’re going to be there for a couple years so your family can get comfortable.” (I always wonder why college educated men would say something like this. I think most normal Americans could get very comfortable with $10 mil even if means they had to move from Detroit or New York to BumFuck, Idaho and back again once every year. This just proves my theory that a college education doesn't make you smart. Just educated)

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Just a shot in the dark here....bit not every situation can be solved with money. If there is no security, then lets say they have to move and have kids...that means new schools, having to make new friends. Have to get a new neighborhood...new routine. Sure...alot of money helps alleviate the pain and suffering of moving, im just saying that not everything can be solved with money.

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Originally Posted by Jimmors

Just a shot in the dark here....bit not every situation can be solved with money. If there is no security, then lets say they have to move and have kids...that means new schools, having to make new friends. Have to get a new neighborhood...new routine. Sure...alot of money helps alleviate the pain and suffering of moving, im just saying that not everything can be solved with money.

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Ditto here. Just because you have the King Midas touch doesn't mean you have real security.

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Originally Posted by 4DaBERS

I thought the Lions were in bad cap shape. To tag him at that salary would be difficult. That said, I agree with the potential to become a Bear anyway, given the price we pay for JP.

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Yeah, the Lions aren't running around with a lot of cap excess to spend which is why I'm pretty certain they won't make an offer to Shaun Hill which may be a good thing since he seems like he may be a fit for the Bears. Hill made $3 mil last year and my guess is there are a few more guys the can part with who are needed far less than Cliff Avril.

We need to remember that productive pass rushers are always in demand both in FA and early in the draft and like the Giants have learned you can never have too many. I'll bet $1000 Bears Bucks Avril never sees FA.

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Originally Posted by Jimmors

Just a shot in the dark here....bit not every situation can be solved with money. If there is no security, then lets say they have to move and have kids...that means new schools, having to make new friends. Have to get a new neighborhood...new routine. Sure...alot of money helps alleviate the pain and suffering of moving, im just saying that not everything can be solved with money.

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Well, he's already been in Detroit for 4 years so he's certainly had a chance to settle in. It's not like he just arrived this year. If he gets signed elsewhere that will probably be at least a 4 year if not a 5 year deal so he settles in again.

This family security business is all bullshit. IMHO he'll go where the dollar tree grows tallest and hang the neighborhood attachment. Who was that NBA players who acted insulted over something like a $12 mil offer for a year saying he needed more to feed his family. Who is his family......the Clumps? Gimme $10 mil for one year and I retire and go live wherever I want. It's all just an excuse they use to gain some leverage just like saying how much they want to keep playing there.

Isn't this the same shit we put up with from Briggs a few years back and now it's rearing it's ugly head again. Briggsy can say all he wants about wanting to remain a Bear but if another team will give him the $$$ he wants he and Rosenhaus will be begging Emery for a trade.

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Originally Posted by soulman

Well, he's already been in Detroit for 4 years so he's certainly had a chance to settle in. It's not like he just arrived this year. If he gets signed elsewhere that will probably be at least a 4 year if not a 5 year deal so he settles in again.

This family security business is all bullshit. IMHO he'll go where the dollar tree grows tallest and hang the neighborhood attachment. Who was that NBA players who acted insulted over something like a $12 mil offer for a year saying he needed more to feed his family. Who is his family......the Clumps? Gimme $10 mil for one year and I retire and go live wherever I want. It's all just an excuse they use to gain some leverage just like saying how much they want to keep playing there.

Isn't this the same shit we put up with from Briggs a few years back and now it's rearing it's ugly head again. Briggsy can say all he wants about wanting to remain a Bear but if another team will give him the $$$ he wants he and Rosenhaus will be begging Emery for a trade.

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It all depends on the person soul. While Avril will want to stay in Detroit for his family, one of my closest friends just got a job in Greensboro, NC, as a computer programmer for a company that will be doubling the pay he was getting at his present/old job. He chose to leave all of his extended family and friends behind and move there from here. So it just depends on the person. It's not quite so general as that, soul.

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Originally Posted by Dagan81

It all depends on the person soul. While Avril will want to stay in Detroit for his family, one of my closest friends just got a job in Greensboro, NC, as a computer programmer for a company that will be doubling the pay he was getting at his present/old job. He chose to leave all of his extended family and friends behind and move there from here. So it just depends on the person. It's not quite so general as that, soul.

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Right, and if Avril was a FA and someone offered him $10 mil more over the term of his deal than Detroit he'd be changing uni's before the ink on the contract was dry. You'll never convince me that 90% of these guys are motivated by anything else but money. Offer them enough and team loyalty goes out the window.

Not every person on the planet is built that same way but we're not talking about thousands or dollars more, we're talking about millions. Money talks and bullshit walks is pretty much the way in pro sports.