When it comes to staying in Detroit, defensive end Cliff Avril pegs his chances at 50-50.
When it comes to getting a huge pile of money, Avril has a much higher degree of certainty as to what he wants.
Mario Williams money.
Which is, as a practical matter, two years at $40 million with a team-held option for the next four years, with a total of $56 million.
“Anything is possible,” Avril said Friday on SiriusXM NFL Radio, via MLive.com. “I would love to get Mario’s deal. Who wouldn’t? Those are some great numbers. My thing is I want to keep getting better. I’m still young. I’m only 26 years old. The sky is the limit as far as that. Those are some great numbers, hopefully we can get somewhere near there.”
Last year, the Lions reportedly offered $30 million over three years. Avril opted to make $10.5 million for one year, to bear the risk of injury, and to hit the market again.
He made it through the 2012 season unscathed, and now he can make himself available to the highest bidder. Unless the Lions can find $12.6 million in cap space for a second franchise tag on Avril.