Lions DE Cliff Avril Explains His Reasoning For Potentially Holding Out

Lions DE Cliff Avril was a hot topic last week after he mentioned that he would consider holding out if the team chose to franchise him in the coming weeks instead of offering him a long-term contract. Now it appears that Avril has changed his mind about the idea of holding out.

“I’m not saying if they franchise me, I’m holding out. I’m saying it’s possible. I don’t want the tag, and one of the only recourses for someone like me is if I don’t want the tag, I either bite the bullet and accept it or hold out,” Avril told Mike Freeman of CBS Sports. “Of course holding out is something you think about. I’m not saying I’m going to do it, but it’s possible. That’s all I’m saying.”

Obviously, Avril is trying apply whatever leverage he can to the current negotiations that he described as progressing “very slowly.” Detroit has limited cap room as of now but that could change depending on what they choose to do in the coming weeks. They still have to address other free agents like Jeff Backus, Stephen Tulloch and Eric Wright at some point but Avril is still their top priority.