The 4 p.m. deadline for the Lions and Cliff Avril to make a long-term deal came and passed today, but Avril doesn’t appear to be holding it against the Lions.
Avril told the AP that he wasn’t mad after the negotiations were unable to lead to a long-term contract with the team, but he told Lions beat-writer Tim Twentyman that he may miss the first day of training camp and will see ‘where it goes from there.’
He will play next season under the franchise tag for $10.6 million and will be a free agent again next summer. If the two still can’t strike a deal next summer than Avril could be tagged again, but for a 20% raise to around $12.75 million according to Dave Birkett.
With the speculation now over, it is up to Avril to prove that this last season wasn’t just a fluke and to continue to show his value on the team. If he continues to perform, management will have no choice but to sign him to a contract, or risk seeing him across the field.
