First the Seattle Seahawks added firepower on their offense with a trade earlier this week for Minnesota Vikings’ Percy Harvin. On Wednesday, the Seahawks bolstered their defense with the addition of free-defensive end Cliff Avril.
Financial terms of the deal are unknown, but the NFL Network reported that the former Detroit Lions standout was en route to Seattle Wednesday night where he is expected to sign a deal upon arriving in the Pacific Northwest.
Avril, a 6-foot-3, 260-pound third-round pick out of Purdue in 2008, recorded nine-and-a-half sacks in 2012. During his first five years in the league, the 26-year-old has compiled 39.5 sacks.
Avril joins a formidable defensive line that includes Chris Clemons and Bruce Irvin.
“This is your classic case of the rich getting richer,” NFL.com said. “The Seahawks had arguably football’s best defense last season, and now they add the top edge rusher on the open market.”
Avril’s departure was expected as he was looking for a salary in the neighborhood of $10 million per year, the Detroit Free Press said.
In what amounts to a swap of free agents, the Lions earlier in the day agreed to terms with Seahawks free-agent defensive lineman Jason Jones.