The Detroit Lions have designs on signing Cliff Avril to a long-term deal, and that was their thinking when they placed the franchise tag on their prized defensive end.
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Avril and the Lions remain "far apart in negotiations," according to MLive.com. If they can't strike a deal, Avril stands to make around $10.6 million next season, the expected franchise-tag value for players at his position.
Avril warned in February that a franchise tag designation could lead to a holdout.
"There's a lot of different possibilities, and that's one of the possibilities -- not showing up," Avril said. "But we don't know. That's not the plan, obviously. But there's a lot of different possibilities, and that's definitely one of them."
Because the tag is non-exclusive, it is possible for Avril to sign with another team, but the Lions can match the offer or receive two first-round picks in return if he signs elsewhere.
The 25-year-old has 19.5 sacks the past two seasons and 30 in his four-year career. He was a third-round pick out of Purdue in the 2008 NFL Draft.
