While the move has not yet been made official, Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said Thursday that defensive end Cliff Avril will be placed on injured reserve as he continues to seek out more answers about the neck injury he sustained in Seattle's Week 4 win over Indianapolis.
"We haven't done the business part of this yet, but we've already talked to Cliff about putting him on the IR list," Carroll said following Thursday's practice.
Asked if Avril's injury will require surgery, Carroll said, "We're not there yet. Cliff is still working and taking information in to figure out what's best. We don't know that yet."
As Carroll noted, more information is key right now. Carroll couldn't rule out if Avril will come back this year—teams are allowed to bring two players back from injured reserve provided they sit out eight weeks first—nor could he rule out this injury being career threatening.
"I don't know, so I guess that means yes," Carroll said of Avril returning from IR. "We'll wait and see. We've got plenty of time to figure that out."
On the topic of this injury being career threatening, Carroll said he didn't know anything yet, and reiterated that the team's only concern at this point is Avril doing what's best for him and his family.
"We have to wait and see on that," Carroll said. "That's really up to the docs and Cliff and all that kind of stuff. I'm a thousand percent in support of whatever we need to do here to help him. That's why we're taking our time. The IR thing gives him (eight) weeks at least to figure out whatever else we can figure out. But he's not sure what's best for him right now, he's trying to find that out. And we're hopefully giving him a good sense that we're going to support him all the way throughout and figure out what's best.
Avril, 31, is coming off the best season of his 10-year NFL career, having totaled 11.5 sacks last year on the way to the first Pro Bowl selection of his career. Avril had one sack in three-plus games before sustaining his injury this year.
Since arriving in Seattle as a key free agent signing in 2013, Avril has stood out not just for his play on the field, but for the work he has done off of it, through his Cliff Avril Family Foundation, which fights juvenile diabetes, to the work he has done in Haiti, his parents' home country. Last season and this year, Avril funded the construction of a new house in Haiti for every sack he recorded, and was the Seahawks’ nominee for the 2016 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.
With Avril out, Frank Clark will remain the starter at the defensive end spot opposite Avril, and while Clark, who had 10 sacks last year, has played very well this season, the Seahawks will miss having both of those players when it comes to pass-rush depth. Marcus Smith will continue to take on a bigger role, as could Branden Jackson, who was added off the practice squad prior to Seattle's Week 5 win over the Rams.
"He was a major part and he is a big piece of our puzzle," defensive coordinator Kris Richard said of Avril. "You hear the cliché time and time again, next man up, and it is just very difficult. It is very difficult, but we have to keep moving on and we have to rely on the guys who are active, so yes, next man in line. I think it is going to show who has been preparing… And it's going to be our responsibility as coaches to do make sure we consistently put the guys who are going to replace him in spots that they can be successful."
The Seahawks and Giants face off on Oct. 6, 2024. Kickoff is set for 1:25 p.m. PT. Take a look back through history at the Seahawks' matchups against the Giants.
A pass intended for Seattle Seahawks' Paul Skannis (82) is about to be intercepted by Carl Banks, left, of the New York Giants during second quarter of Nov. 9, 1989 game at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Ray Stubblebine)
New York Giants Larry Csonka leaves the game with bandaged knee, hurt running the ball against the Seattle Seahawks during the game, Nov. 28, 1976 in East Rutherford. (AP Photo/Harry Harris)
New York Giants wide receiver Ike Hilliard, right, cradles the ball in the end zone for a touchdown as Seattle Seahawks safety Marcus Robinson, rear, and cornerback Willie Williams, left, defend during the fourth quarter Sunday, Dec. 23, 2001, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. Hilliard scored with 20 seconds left in the game to give the Giants the 27-24 win. Looking on is Giants Joe Jurevicius (84). (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Rodney Hampton (27) of the New York Giants is taken down for a 4-yard loss by Cortez Kennedy (99) of the Seattle Seahawks during the second quarter of NFL game at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on Sunday, Oct. 25, 1992. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
New York Giants quarterback Jeff Hostetler (15) heads for the endzone as he is pursued by Seattle Seahawks Natu Tutagaloa during the third quarter of 23-10 Giants win at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey Sunday, Oct. 25, 1992. (AP Photo/Kevin Larkin)
Seattle Seahawks quarter back Stan Gelbaugh (18) gets sacked by Lawrence Taylor (56) of the New York Giants for a 12-yard loss in the first quarter of NFL game at Giants Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 25, 1992 in East Rutherford. Giants' Eric Dorsey, rear moves in to help Taylor. (AP Photo/Kevin Larkin)
New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan (92) returns a fumble 13 yards for a touchdown during an NFL game against the Seattle Seahawks at the Meadowlands in East Rutherford, N.J., Dec. 23, 2001. The Giants defeated the Seahawks 27-24. (AP Photo/NFL Photos/Evan Pinkus)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram (84) is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Ralph Brown after catching a pass for a 14-yard gain during the second quarter Sunday, Sept. 22, 2002, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. There was a penalty on Brown for defensive holding, which was declined by the Seahawks. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
New York Giants' Jeremy Shockey, left, is brought down by Seattle Seahawks Marquand Manuel (33) and Bryce Fisher after a fourth quarter pass reception, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2005, in Seattle. Shockey led the Giants with 127 yards receiving . The Seahawks won in overtime, 24-21. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks' Shaun Alexander, left, looks for running room during an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Sept. 24, 2006. The Seahawks said Monday, Sept. 25, 2006 that Alexander has a broken left foot and will be lost to the team for at least a couple of weeks. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) loses the ball as he is sacked by Seattle Seahawks defensive end Patrick Kerney (97) in the second quarter of their NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 5, 2008. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Seattle Seahawks Charlie Whitehurst (6) in action against the New York Giants in the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 7, 2010, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Sidney Rice (18) goes out for a pass while covered by New York Giants cornerback Corey Webster (23) during the NFL week 5 football game against the New York Giants on Sunday, October 9, 2011 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Seahawks won the game 36-25. (AP Photo/Paul Spinelli)
Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Bobby Engram (84) is tackled by New York Giants cornerback Ralph Brown after catching a pass for a 14-yard gain during the second quarter Sunday, Sept. 22, 2002, at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. There was a penalty on Brown for defensive holding, which was declined by the Seahawks. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) fends off New York Giants cornerback Terrell Thomas (24) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 15, 2013, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch (24) during the game against the New York Giants during an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 9, 2014, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ben Liebenberg)
The Seahawks offense does their "techno" touchdown celebration after Jimmy Graham's one-yard reception in the fourth quarter.
