Lions DE Avril not interested in franchise tag

Feb 2, 2012

Defensive end Cliff Avril loves playing for the Detroit Lions - he just doesn't wish to do so under the team's franchise tag.

“I definitely don't want to be franchised,” Avril told the Detroit Free Press on Thursday. “I mean, I've been in Detroit for four years, and I wouldn't mind being there for another couple more years or whatnot.

“The franchise tag kind of makes it a yearly thing, and you want security. You want to know you're going to be there for a couple years so your family can get comfortable.”

Avril collected a career-high 11 sacks and 36 tackles this past season. The 25-year-old has 30.5 sacks, 133 tackles and one interception in his career.