Lions defensive tackle 
'So, are you staying?' the autograph seekers wanted to know.
To which Avril responded with a big smile and an 'I hope so.'
Avril, 25, will be an unrestricted free agent as of March 13 and is looking to cash in on an 11-sack season in a contract year.
Starting Monday, teams can begin using the franchise designation, which Avril could be a candidate for. The tag guarantees a player the average of the top five salaries at his position. That number is expected to be about $10.6 million for defensive ends next season.
Avril reiterated Saturday that he does not want to be franchised and that the designation could "possibly" keep him out of offseason workouts and training camp as a holdout.
Even if the Lions put the franchise tag on Avril, which the team has given no indication they plan to do, it doesn't mean Avril and the Lions can't work out a long-term deal before the season begins. If Avril is franchised, the Lions will still have until July 16 to work on a long-term deal.
"I think it just buys them time to negotiate," Avril said Saturday of the tag. "We'll see, there is still a lot of time before the season.
"Hopefully, like I said, we can work something out before they do decide to go with (franchise tag)."
The deadline for franchise designation is March 5, so there is still time to negotiate before that decision has to be made.
The Lions haven't used the franchise tag since 2007 (Cory Redding) and general manager Martin Mayhew told reporters after the season that he'd like to avoid it if possible.
"I don't have any plans to," Mayhew said at the time when asked if the team was considering the franchise tag for Avril. "But you never know what might happen. We are going to approach Cliff about a long-term deal and try to get something done and see what happens."
Those comments certainly didn't close the door on the possibility of using the tag on Avril.
Avril said Saturday that he understands the business element of the NFL and has no ill feelings towards the team.
"There really hasn't really been that much talking and that much negotiating to the point where anybody is mad or anything like that," he said when asked if there was an impasse in negotiations with his agent Brian Mackler and the team.
"(The Lions) have a plan and they probably have to get some things together cap-wise and we'll see where it goes."
The Lions would like to negotiate an extension with receiver
"I wanted a deal last year and they told me that I had to come out and prove myself and I feel that I should be compensated for it," Avril said. "I've been putting in work and trying to improve every year and doing what they wanted me to do and I think the right thing to do is a long-term contract, so we'll see."
Avril played under a one-year tender offer at $2.61 million this past season.
Avril would like to be paid similarly to the $60 million (five years) contract Tamba Hali signed with the Chiefs last season or the $72 million (six years) deal Charles Johnson signed with the Panthers.
"You see what they're doing and you see what I'm doing and it plays a good part of (my decision)," Avril said. "They got paid and they're getting sacks and all that good stuff and I plan to do the same."
Ideally, the Lions would like to extend Avril for around $8 million per season.
The franchise tag is not an ideal situation for either Avril or the Lions, especially considering the Lions' cap issues heading into next season. If a long-term deal to better-fit Avril into the team's budget can't be worked out, it might be best for both parties to simply move on.
