Negotiations between the Detroit Lions and Cliff Avril on a long-term deal came to a close on Monday afternoon. The two sides had been talking about a new deal for the better part of the last year, but not enough progress was made for something to get done. The Lions didn't see eye to eye with Avril's assessment of his worth, and in the end they just couldn't bridge the gap that existed.
It's not exactly clear how much Avril was looking for in a potential new deal, but Albert Breer has the numbers on what was allegedly the Lions' final offer.
Lions' final offer to Cliff Avril was worth about $30 million over 3 years, with $20 million guaranteed. Couldn't quite close the deal out.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 16, 2012
That seems like a lot to turn down, but consider this: Avril is set to make $10.6 million in 2012. It's all guaranteed. Next year, if the Lions decide to franchise him again, he will make around $12.7 million. It will again be guaranteed. If the Lions decide not to franchise him and he hits the open market, I would bet on there being a team out there willing to pay a lot more than what the Lions were offering. It's certainly a gamble, but if Avril hits the open market, I think he'll come away with more than $30 million over three years.
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