I'm just going to come out and say it....

Trading away Cliff Avril would put the 10-6 Lions in park, or worse yet... reverse.

In a league where good pass rushers are hard to find, some Detroit fans feel that they just are not important to a success of a team... that a quality starting pass rusher can be replaced in one season by a first or second round rookie. Read that statement again and let it sink in...

http://detroitsportsnation.com/theschwartz/files/2011/08/cut-lions-bc.gif (photo Credit)

I must admit, Mallory's draft day prediction with NE sounded nice and tasty... however, the more you look at the Lions situation, the more you realize that they are on their way up... and the more you realize they're on the way up... the more you realize how fragile their recent success is.

To what benefit would trading away a team's top pass rusher be? Nick Perry? Mercilus? LoJack or Willie Young? Really? Is that honestly a good move? To replace their proven (and perennial improved) pass rusher with an unproven talent, a rookie hunch, or veteran backup who shows something now and then.... just does not make sense.

Then there's the cap argument... well sorry folks, yes Cliff Avril may not be the best in the league... but he's the best pass rusher the Lions have. AND they have the money to pay him. So all that being said... where's the argument?

Look, I'm not bashing those that want to trade away the top portion of the Lions Roster.... but shedding light on the ignored realities of such talk. Its all good fun, but at the end of the day, it creates a pleateau for the upcoming Lions in the 2012 season... or even worse, could send them in the opposite direction. The NFC North is too tough of a division to be trading away your best players for cap room and any replacement for Cliff won't be a 'replacement' at all in 2012.

The Lions have a nice 10-6 foundation that they need to build on.... so far, I don't see any mistakes, only areas of improvements. Improving the roster naturally is what makes teams successful. At this point, the 10-6 Lions can't afford to trade away their #1 pass rusher.

Patience, Detroit Lion fans... Mayhew is building something here.