Lions General Manager Martin Mayhew said this week that in 2009, Detroit had a lot of backup-quality players in the starting lineup, and that the Lions’ off-season moves were an attempt to acquire starters who could bump those backups down the depth chart.
Mayhew didn’t name any names, but he could have been talking about the defensive end position, where Cliff Avril started 11 games last season but probably won’t start in 2010 now that the Lions have signed Kyle Vanden Bosch. But far from feeling threatened by Vanden Bosch’s arrival, Avril says he embraces it.
“Bringing in Kyle Vanden Bosch was a great move for the Lions,” Avril wrote on his blog. “He’s a veteran, a Pro Bowler, and we have a lot of young guys. It’s especially good for me, I’ll definitely be picking his brain and getting all kinds of good advice. I’ll be better just for having him on the team and I know he will contribute big-time. I’ve been a fan of his since college.”
Avril also noted that defensive linemen rotate, and he said he doesn’t think the presence of Vanden Bosch will necessarily reduce his own playing time.
“I think it will all work out and I will get even more playing time than I had last year,” Avril wrote. “At least I’m going to fight for it.”
The 23-year-old Avril comes across like he’s genuinely thrilled about the opportunity to learn from his new veteran teammate.
Whether he’s a starter or not, give Avril credit for having the right attitude.
lol…The Lions WILL have a BETTER record than the Bears this year!
Great attitude by Cliff! Very refreshing.
Avril loses his job, but thinks he will get MORE playing time?!? That’s the same time of twisted logic that has Hawg thinking the Lions will be better than Da Bears! You all must be smokin’ something really strong in Detroit! The Lions bought a Benz in free agency, Da Bears bought a Bentley…
@Don,
Exactly right. The Bears overpaid for their value. You’ll get litte performance out of Peppers unless he’s facing Bryant McKinnie for 16 games.
I think this shirt says it all…
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120541589724&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120541600440&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
im_not_lion…GO LIONS!
Avril didnt lose his job smart guy. KVB plays RE and Avril plays LE. Person that really lost there job was D. White.
Good luck with Martz and Captain Rod there is Chi Town. They worked real well together in the D…ok, maybe now
The Bears may have bought a Bentley, but they still have Marinelli and Martz driving it . . . and steering it right over a cliff.
Lions will be owning the Bears for many years to come now and the reason is the quarterbacks. Matt Stafford is a beast and Jay Cutler is a whiney little girl.
yeah just like da bears were going to the superbowl after signing Cutler i guess he can ride in the BENTLEY along with Martz
Avril is NOT losing his job.
With the loss of Jared DeVries, Avril will continue to start. VandenBosch is only going to help Avril, because he tends to get frustrated easily and has no mentor or leader to teach him any of the tricks of the trade. He is a legitimate DE in the league, and with some support across the line will show that this Millen pick was a keeper.
DeVries wasn’t even a starter until last year, so he was a multi-year rookie that added little value.
Corey Redding wasn’t the right role model for anyone on the line, now he’s stinkin’ it up in Seattle…
There is no disuputing that Peppers is the cream of the crop, and that the Bears were a few players away from playing deep in the playoffs. With hardly any draft picks, the Bears were in a position to do something. The Lions aren’t close to the same situation. We know we suck. So pile on as you see fit. It’s kind of like telling the fattest kid in the class that he’s fat…No Duh, he knows he’s fat!
What we DO have in our favor, is that your retarded head coach (no offense to the mentally challenged) hired our former coaches ~ Moronelli and Mike Martz….Just wait and see how THAT works out for ya!!!!!!!
I would think a more appropriate comparison would be Detroit got a F150 and Da Bums got a Rolls Canardly
Ummmmmmmm anyone who follows the lions (insert joke here) knows they’ll be playing opposite ends, plus they just released white. Avril is a good player he just has to show that killer instinct the best DEs have.
Well it’s not as if the team has a solid RDE to compliment Vanden Bosch so yeah, Avril could go out and fight for minutes on that side. If they get McCoy or Suh, it will only be easier for the DEs anyways. Good luck Cliff, and way to stay positive.
u idiot, whos starting on the other side of the defensive end???? do u kno?? exactly Kyle on the left side Avril on the right
I heard that NFL teams have a RE AND a LE nowadays. Lions just cut Dwayne White. KVB can only play one of those positions, so why is it assumed that Avril lost his?
Armstrong, you failed in so many ways just now. First of all Avril didn’t actually lose his job. Bosch is the starting DRE and Avril is the Lion’s DLE. Also, like what was mentioned above, the Lions rotate their ends. Avril just considered himself the starter because he was the one that was in the most. That has more to do with the DRE’s getting hurt. Finally, the Benz vs Bentley approach. Bentley is a “luxury” car while Benz is a mix of luxury and sport. Sure, the Bentleys usually cost more but the Benz can outperform them at a much lower price. Then again there is a little vehicle called the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. Then again this is Detroit. The home of the automobile.
The Benz and the Bentley both have a lot of miles on them. Hopefully Avril a Toyota with a faulty accellerator.
Well, Avril did not officially lose his job, because the best two players will play. And with Dwayne White and DeVries being let go, Avril is probably going to get the start, even if it is on the other side.
Also, what good is a Bentley, if it only runs have the time? Now I am not saying that the Lions will best the Bears in the division, but until the bears establish a go to receiver and an offensive line, they will be stuck in a lot of low scoring games. Which either team can win. I like Cutler, but he needs more around him and time to adjust to Martz’s offense.
Avril is one of the better young players the Lions have. While that might not be saying much, it’s more likely that Mayhew was not talking about him.
agreed. MDS, not sure where you get the idea that Avril is being targeted. For all the comments about him being the LDE, I think it’s more likely that he’ll be the RDE with KVB at LDE (as another poster has suggested). Putting Avril up on the strongside – well, there’s certain instances where an undersized, but good pass rusher going at the RT makes sense. That said, Avril is at 260. He’d need to win the majority of his battles to make that worth it, otherwise he’d get mauled over there on the left side and worn down. KVB doesn’t have the burst of his long ago youth, but he’s a bigger guy who will fight.
Vanden Bosch, Avril, and Hunter will all rotate at both ends. Remember, everyone, Schwartz’s system eschews a lot of the asymmetry (right/left, strong/weak, strong/free) that most defenses have. Ideally, Schwartz would like both of his defensive ends to be KVB: 270 pounds, a gifted pass rusher, strong enough to hold the edge and contain the run.
Avril isn’t big enough to be that guy, but he’s also too talented to not be useful. Hunter has the right body, but isn’t nearly the pass rusher Avril is. They’ll use all three situationally.
Peace
Ty