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Thread: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
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Cliff Avril Could Test Market
Cliff Avril will be the best front 7 defensive player on market in the offseason. He has 30 sacks and 14 forced fumbles in 4 years at DE for the Lions 4-3. At 6'3 260 there is no reason why he couldn't go between OLB and DE just like Suggs does. By the way he is also just 25 years old. Avril would be a huge upgrade to the Ravens pass rush. This is someone who has to be considered
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com...ing-expensive/
Lions defensive end Cliff Avril is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason, and he says he’s hoping a long-term deal can get done to stay in Detroit.
But the Lions have an awful lot of money tied up in their defensive line right now, and it raises the question of how much money they can afford to give one more defensive lineman.
“There’s a lot of money in my position group,” Avril told MLive.com. “I don’t know. It might just be a financial thing. I don’t know. It’s my first time going through free agency, so I don’t really know how this thing works upstairs.”
With Avril’s fellow starting defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch scheduled to make $5 million next season, and starting defensive tackles Ndamukong Suh and Corey Williams getting $9.25 million and $4.9 million respectively, a huge contract for Avril would give the Lions an extremely expensive defensive line.
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01-10-2012, 04:49 PM #2Legendary RSR Poster
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Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
The Ravens have too many guys to resign to be able to afford someone like that. Plus, with the development of guys like McPhee and Kruger, I don't see how it's necessary to bring in a high priced FA. Just my opinion.
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01-10-2012, 04:56 PM #3
Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
Not saying Avril wouldn't be a nice addition, but hard to see how the Ravens could afford it. My understanding is that Baltimore -- while not in desperate straits like Pittsburgh -- won't have much cap space to play with. (Cap experts, feel free to chime in...)
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01-10-2012, 05:02 PM #4
Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
theyll cut kyle vanden bosh who has lost a step or two, if they finacially cant resign avril. The lions need all the help they can get up front cause there secondary is horrible. I see them resigning him, and as i said they would cut kyle beforee lose cliff i think
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01-10-2012, 05:02 PM #5
Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
He is good. I think Mario Williams is the best free agent DE on the market. After getting so many sacks this year with the scheme change, I am not sure this is a need anymore. Kruger and McPhee have done a pretty good job in the rush roles. There is always room on the roster for a stud DE, and I am sure there are always ways to make it work under the cap, but like I said, this may not be a big enough need to justify the expense.
:T2:
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Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
Mario won't be on the market. If they can't sign him they're going to franchise him.
The Ravens pass rush has a way of disappearing in big spots. Kruger and McPhee are nice part time players. A legit second pass rusher to play opposite of Suggs would take this defense to a new level. Hopefully Kruger or McPhee can turn into that but I'd still pay up for a proven pass rusher.
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01-10-2012, 05:24 PM #7
Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
word.
Not so sure that Mario will get tagged though. The Texans have been able to effectively replace him for one, and ince he was a #1 overall pick under the old system his salary is enormous and his tag number should be a 20% bump over his current one and not just an average of the top 5 (which for his position is huge anyway).
I have been advocating adding a legit bookend to Suggs for years now and would still like to see it happen. It seems like the team is more intent on getting that guy through the draft and development though. I think McPhee may be that guy if he is able to improve off his rookie season like many guys do.
:T2:
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01-10-2012, 05:27 PM #8Veteran Poster
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Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
Exactly the type of pass rusher the Ravens need opposite of Suggested. He isnt going to be able to cover, but the guy is constantly in the backfield. Avril would make this front 7 pretty damn scary. That said, no way it happens. He will have A TON of money tossed his way and I think Ozzie and Harbs will be content t to go with Kruger and McPherson opposite of Suggested next season.
Cliff Avril will get what Charles Johnson got, and some.Last edited by wickedsolo; 01-10-2012 at 08:09 PM.
Disclaimer: The content posted is of my own opinion.
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01-10-2012, 06:49 PM #12Hall Of Fame Poster
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Re: Cliff Avril Could Test Market
This would be a bad move. Not because he's not a good player or wouldn't improve our front 7... both of those things are true. But DEs, particularly those as young and promising as Avril, get BIG money in free agency. He'll probably command north of 7 million a year for 5+ years, and that number is not within reach for the Ravens.
It would also be a poor investment of that much money considering the state of the roster next year. Is the pass rush really an area of need? Kruger and McPhee were both more productive per-play pass-rushers than Avril last year. I'm not saying Kruger is a better player, but he's sufficient as a situational pass-rusher at minimum and McPhee will continue to improve as well.
Avril struggles against the run and even if he could transition to LOLB (Johnson's position), he probably won't be a run-stopping force on the edge, which is the same criticism we can make of Kruger at this point. Obviously there's no evidence of how well he can play in coverage. So I fail to see an upgrade over Kruger that would justify spending that much money.
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