The Detroit Lions are willing to do what it takes to keep Cliff Avril, one of the emerging top defensive ends in the NFL. Even if that means putting the franchise tag on the player.
The Detroit Free Press is reporting, via two sources, that Avril definitely will be tagged if the two sides don't agree on a long-term contract before the March 5 deadline for applying the tag.
The 25-year-old defensive end had 11 sacks and six forced fumbles last season.
If Avril would get the franchise tag, the newspaper reports he could receive $10.6 million next season.
"This is news to me," Avril told the newspaper on Friday. "My agent hasn't called me and told me anything. I mean, we'll see. We'll see how it goes.
"If they franchise me, that doesn't necessarily mean I'll be playing under that, because that just gives them more time to negotiate or whatnot. So we'll see how it goes."
article source: http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2012-02-18/lions-could-put-franchise-tag-on-de-avril
