Avril who will be 26 in a few months, may holdout and miss some offseason workouts if the team does not meet his demand of offering a long term deal. This is a familiar situation for Avril as he wanted a long term deal last season, but ended up signing a one year restricted free agent tender with the Lions worth $2.6 million before the start of the 2011 season.

If the franchise tag is used on Avril it will come with a significant raise. The franchise tag is an average of the top five salaries at a particular position. In this case, that would be defensive end.

The projected number for defensive ends is expected to be around $10.5 million give or take. This is definitely no chump change, but Avril does have a case for a long term deal.

Ultimately, Cliff Avril is producing on the field and he wants to be paid like one of the top defensive ends in the NFL. The ball is the Lions hands as to what his worth is to the franchise long term.

The other side of this equation is the Detroit Lions have a lot of their team salary tied up with these 4 players, with key free agents such as Cliff Avril, Stephen Tullock wanting long term contract extensions. With payroll and salary cap limits affecting how ownership will make these decisions. Which key free agents to keep or let go, as well as bringing in players via the draft, and or free agency.

Matthew Stafford and Kyle Vanden Bosch both announced they are willing to restructure their contracts to help the Detroit Lions keep their nucleus of players together. Players like Stafford and Bosch who are willing to make decisions to put their team first shows how much respect, and admiration they have for the Detroit Lions organization as well as the City of Detroit.

The Detroit Lions and their fans have something special with their talented players such as Stafford, Suh, Bosch, and Johnson being such great team leaders. That their teammates can look up too. These players come out and support their teammates, which can only make the Detroit Lions stronger. The Lions will have long term success with these great leaders leading the Lions with their Super Bowl aspirations in the near future.

Would the Detroit Lions take a chance on Randy Moss? Considering the last time anyone saw Randy Moss on the football field, he was playing for the Patriots, Vikings and the Titans in 2010. He caught only 28 receptions for a very modest 393 yards.  When Moss was on the Titans he was used pretty much as decoy for the final regular season games of the 2010 season.

The Detroit Lions should take this risk and sign Randy Moss to a league minimum contract with incentives that can earn Moss more salary if he can reach certain statistics a receiver of his magnitude, should be able to reach every season. The Patriots took this risk by trading for him before 2007 season began. Randy Moss was rejuvenated and motivated to prove to people that he was not finished and could still be the great wide receiver he had always been.

In 2007 when Randy Moss played football Patriot’s way and let his on field football play do most of his talking that season. That led to the Patriots going undefeated during the regular season in 2007 and almost won the Super Bowl that year. Moss set a record with 23 touchdowns receptions to go along with 98 receptions, and 1493 receiving yards.

Jim Schwartz and the rest of the Detroit Lions coaching staff can only imagine what a motivated Randy Moss can add to their already prolific offense.   By adding Randy Moss, Matthew Stafford will have a strong number two receiver to go with their all pro receiver Calvin Johnson on the other side catching every ball in sight.  Opponents secondary’s will have to double cover either Johnson or Moss which will help Matthew Stafford have more time and more options to throw the ball to.

There is no doubt Randy Moss is prone to cause problems which led to his trade from Oakland and his releases from the Vikings and Patriots. The Detroit Lions have salary cap issues, and if they have the chance to sign him to a low salary. That will only improve the Detroit Lions chances to be a super bowl caliber team in 2012.

Matthew Stafford could not dream of having a better receiving combo to throw to in 2012. Stafford had a career year in 2011 and he can only improve with adding a weapon like Moss to his arsenal.  That being said if Moss does not play well and causes problems he can easily be released with the Detroit Lions salary cap not taking a big hit.

The Detroit Lions fans are more excited about their lions going in 2012 than they have been in years. Why not add Randy Moss it’s a risk but a small risk that could bring in a high reward. That reward could be getting to and winning the Super Bowl for Detroit that much sooner.

Detroit’s running game was in shambles for much of 2011 and the unpredictability of the health of Jahvid Best adds a little drama to the situation. Best has a laundry list of concussions dating back to his college days and it doesn’t seem as though he can stay healthy for a full season as a feature back.

That was the void that Mikel Leshoure was supposed to fill this year as the Lions were planning on making Best more of a factor back. At 6’0” 233 lbs. Leshoure was taken in the second round out of Illinois with the team intending on giving him the bulk of the carries.

Best obviously has the talent, but he is just too much of a liability with his past injuries. Kevin Smith did an admirable job filling in and probably exceeded most peoples expectations of him.

The organization has hopes for Leshoure, especially after he lost his whole rookie campaign to an injury in the shortened preseason. He will be important to the Lions making the next step in 2012.

Matthew Stafford cannot drop back 50-60 times a game consistently and expect the team to be a legit contender.

If Stafford has a viable running attack the threat of play action comes into play and Detroit’s offense becomes more dangerous and unpredictable to opposing defenses.

The Detroit Lions do not have a horrible offensive line.  Without the line they had Stafford and the rest of the Detroit Lions offense would not have been able to put up the great numbers they did.  There is room for improvement that could help the Lions be even better on offense.

Drafting Mike Adams an offensive tackle from Ohio State would be a start to improve the Detroit Lions offensive line.  Adams is considered by most NFL scouts and analyst to be solid offensive tackle that can make an impact on a team that needs an offensive tackle. The Lions if they draft Adams may be the offensive tackle that protects Matthew Stafford for many years.

The Lions may have another choice to help their offensive like if Kelechi Osemele is still available for the Lions. When Osemele was moved to the right tackle he was over powering and intimidating and could be the presents on the offensive line to help give Matthew Stafford more time in the pocket. Osemele ability to intimidate and over power the defensive tackles could be just what the Detroit Lions offensive line as a whole needs.

The Lions have an intimidation factor with Ndamukong Suh leading the defensive line of the Lions and with the possibility of adding Kelechi Osemele or Mike Adams on the offensive side of the ball the Detroit Lions will have done their job of improving their offensive line and most important protecting Matthew Stafford for years to come.

Jim Schwartz and the rest of the Lions took notice of this and will either draft a quarterback or bring in a quarterback that can manage the Lions offense if Matthew Stafford goes down with an injury. The Lions saw firsthand, during the last regular season game of the 2011 season, when Matt Flynn , backup quarterback for Aaron Rodgers, threw for six touchdowns and beat the Lions. Now no one expects a backup quarterback to have those numbers. But drafting and developing a quarterback who can be ready and knows the Lions offensive system would be key to the Lions as an insurance policy.

After the Lions draft players to solidify their defense and offensive line in the first few rounds they should look for a backup quarterback in the later rounds. This way the backup that the Lions draft is low risk and cost effective for the Lions. They should draft a quarterback like Dan Persa from Northwestern. He missed the first few games of the season but had solid numbers. He completed 73.5 percent of passes; he rushed for 519 yards as well as passed for 2,581 yards. He is a tough player and can throw well out of the pocket which can be a real asset in the Lions passing offense.

Another quarterback the Lions could take in the later rounds is GJ Kinne from Tulsa.  Kinne completed 63 percent of his passes while passing for 3,090 yards. He also threw 28 touchdowns while only throwing 12 interceptions. The one negative is that Kinne played well against teams he was supposed to do well against. He did not play well against Tulsa top opponents: Boise State and Oklahoma State. Most scouts think he will not be more than a back up in the NFL, but this is exactly what the Lions are looking for: a player who can learn their system, come in when needed, and do the job that is needed to win a ball game.

On the other hand, the Lions could bring in a free agent quarterback to be their back up, but that would not be cost effective. Probably the best and most effective quarterback to bring in and be willing to be a back up is Donovan McNabb. His best years are behind him but he knows how to win and has had a history of playing in big games. If the Lions decide not to draft a backup quarterback they should re-sign Drew Stanton.  Stanton, for the most part, has been involved in the Lions offensive system for a couple of seasons now. He would never be expected to play as good as Matthew Stafford but if he can just manage the offense and most importantly not cause costly turnovers, he will be a good option as backup. At the end of the day, the Detroit Lions need to be able to feel better should Matthew Stafford go down with an injury.

Looking at the long term success of the Lions and their moving closer to their first Super Bowl Championship, the Lions should draft a center who can be the one who pushes defensive linemen around, as well as protect Stafford, and open holes for their running game as well.

Philip Blake from Baylor would be an ideal pick for the center position. He would probably go closer to the third round, which would be cost effective for the Lions. When NFL scouts and football analysts talk about how great of a year Baylor Quarterback Robert Griffin III had in 2011, you have to thank Philip Blake for his great pass blocking abilities, and how he helped give Griffin many holes to run through. Blake would fit well in the Detroit offensive line scheme as a great pass blocker and can help open the up the running game for Jahvid Best.

If the Lions are waiting for the fourth round to pick a center, they should consider Quentin Saulsberry out of Mississippi State. Saulsberry did a good job of run blocking which opened up Mississippi State’s running attack. He can play other positions on the offensive line as well. Saulsberry will need to add some more muscle and power to his game to be able to play the center position in the NFL. If the Lions can draft Saulsberry in the fourth, they should get a quality center at reasonable cost.

Matthew Stafford needs a center that he can trust, but also has the physical makeup and the abilities to play the center position. A center that can pass block gives Stafford the needed time to make a wise decision with the ball in the pocket as well as help open holes for the Lions running game which needs to improve in the 2012 season. A center with these abilities would improve the Detroit Lions offense as a whole.

They do need to improve their running game with a healthy Jahvid Best returning. The rushing element, that the Lions did not have for the last half of the season, will be there in 2012. I have read some articles that say the Lions will not make the playoffs in 2012. These individuals forget who the Lions have leading their defensive line: Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch. The Lions do need to decide if they will re-sign Cliff Avril to a long-term deal. (It would be smart for the Lions to get this done right away.)

If the Lions keep their defensive front-line in order, and just draft or bring in via free agency the right players to help their passing and rushing defense, the Lions should not only return to the playoffs but [hopefully] advance further in 2012 with the hope of winning the Super Bowl. But, of course, there are those teams that make the playoffs the year before but make no postseason appearance the following season.

The Chicago Bears are one of these teams.  Losing star players Jay Cutler and Matt Forte meant the Bears could not win the games needed to make a playoff appearance. The New York Giants, who won the Super Bowl, did not make the playoffs in 2010 because of inconsistent play on both sides of the ball.  In 2011, they played with more consistency (even though they slumped midway through the season). They got hot, played better than anyone else down the stretch, and became champions.  (Also see Green Bay Packers 2010 season.)

The Lions have a talented nucleus that believes they can win and, more importantly, believe in their head coach Jim Schwartz. The Lions have youth on their side; yes some players have made youthful mistakes getting penalties that prevented the Lions from winning games. Ndamukong Suh made a mistake by stepping on a player and got suspended for 2 games. With every successful team that goes on to win a Super Bowl, teams have to go through growing pains to make themselves better and the Lions are doing just that.

Going in to the 2012 NFL draft, the Lions must be feeling good about themselves. They know they need some key additions to help fill the voids where opponents feasted on them in 2011. They will also need to look at free agents carefully, in a cost effective matter, so they can keep key free agents like Cliff Avril and Stephen Tullock.

The Lions do not have a lot of room to work with. Most of team salary is tied up with Johnson, Stafford, Suh, and Vanden Bosch (which is good problem to have). The Lions have tough decisions to make to help keep the Lions successful.

The Detroit Lions will make the playoffs in 2012. They, just like other teams that made the playoffs in 2011, will have to figure out a way to draft and bring in the right players. But the Lions have an edge over most of the other NFL franchises: the Lions have a great team to put on the field already.

Can the Lions re-sign Cliff Avril? It sounds like it may or may not happen. Avril wants a long term deal; not a Lions franchise tag for only one more season.  It is in the best interests of the Lions to sign Avril and keep their great defensive front-line together for as long as possible.

This is why it would be a mistake for the Lions to use any of their first couple of draft picks on defensive linesmen. The Lions have to focus on their pass defense and stopping the run. Another big issue that seems to be overshadowed, because of the way the Lions were eliminated from the playoff, is the need to improve their offensive line.

The Lions do have to improve their running game.  With a healthy Jahvid Best returning, the Lions offensive line needs to improve at opening holes for him to run through. Improving the offensive line will improve an already great passing offense and give Matthew Stafford extra time in the pocket to find an open receiver. This season Stafford had terrific stats but the offense itself would be much better if the offensive line gave the Lions offense more time to work with.

The Lions should use their third or fourth round pick to improve their offensive line. They should pick Nate Potter from Boise State if given the opportunity. Potter was consistent all season at keeping the defensive line men at bay and giving his quarterback the time he needed to lead the offense down the field for many scores. Potter will have to work hard and improve his strength and power to have the chance to be a quality run blocker for the Lions offense. There is a great upside here with Potter. He has the potential to be a great fit in any offense, to help a protect a quarterback from the defensive rush, and, with time, can push the defensive line around, and let his future running backs amass great yardage through his run blocking abilities.

If Potter is taken, the Lions should shift their focus to Bradon Mosely from Auburn.  Mosely was a second all team ALL-SEC selection in 2011. He is a terrific run blocker and has allowed his running back Michael Dyer have a great season. Mosely needs to work on his pass blocking abilities but, with time, can learn from his coaches and new teammates in the NFL. Mosely will have some great talent to work with and could be a steal in this draft.

The Detroit Lions have to use this 2012 draft class to fix their problems on the field that their opponents took advantage of. The Lions will hopefully score big with most of their draft and even the picks that do not become stars, can still be vital parts of the Lions organization.

Don’t get me wrong, the Giants offense is great, the Patriots corners and safeties could not slow them down. Giant’s receiver Mario Manningham on the final drive alone had three catches for 56 yards. One of those catches is being considered one of the best in Super Bowl history, and Manningham was not even Eli Manning’s 1^st or 2^nd receiving option. This is why the Lions need to think about their defense first. The Patriots loss was not due to their lack of offense but from not being able to stop the drive.

What the Lions need to do is learn from this Super Bowl and think about the tough decisions going into this free agency and the 2012 draft. Most of their money is tied up in high draft picks that have worked out well so they won’t have much to work with. They also have key free agents that they want to resign to keep their playoff nucleus together.

After seeing what the New York Giants were able to do to the Patriots secondary, the Detroit Lions need to use their 23^rd pick in the NFL Draft  to get either corner back Morris Claiborne from LSU or North Alabama’s Janoris Jenkins. Morris Claiborne help lead the terrific defense of LSU that went undefeated into the BCS Championship game.  Janoris Jenkins may not be as known like Claiborne but he had a terrific season with North Alabama. Both of these corner backs are highly touted. They will not be pushed around. They will get in a wide receivers face. This is something the Lions current secondary needs to do but could not against teams that pass the ball at will against them.

These two corner backs with their size and speed could change the landscape of the playing field if they can disrupt the quarterbacks passing game. This would give Ndamukong Suh and the Lions strong defensive line some more time to get pressure on the quarterback, and either sack him or force him into making a costly mistake

Drafting Morris Claiborne or Janoris Jenkins will not solve all the problems the Lions have on defense. But if you watched the super bowl having a secondary that can force a quarterback like Tom Brady to hold the ball longer and force him out of his rhythm. This gives a team that much better of a chance of making a player like Tom Brady play in to their hands so they can win the game.