Back in March, 21 different players around the NFL were given franchise tags. Detroit Lions star defensive end Cliff Avril was among them, but was none too happy about it as he sought out a bigger contract.
The Franchise Tag price for a DE is $10.605 million dollars, but according to a report by NFL.com, Avril is seeking more than the $10 million, one year deal that the tag would offer and won't sign the deal. He is looking for something more in the range of a four years and $42 million from Detroit.
The Lions and Avril's people aren't near reaching a deal, either. In fact, the sides are separated by around $2 million per year on Avril's worth, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. The player's side is looking for something with a yearly average exceeding the $10.605 million attached to the tender, over four years, which would top $42 million, with more than half of it guaranteed. The Lions have made several offers. But nothing's close.
Contract talks look like they're going to keep going between Avril and the Lions up until the signing deadline of July 16. At that point, trouble could start if Avril begins to miss mandatory camps while seeking more cash. That's starting to look like a possibility with the number of rejected deals that the Lions have put forth to get their DE back on the squad.
For more on Cliff Avril and the Detroit Lions, head over to Pride Of Detroit. More news and analysis on the NFL can be found over at SB Nation's dedicated NFL hub.