There doesn’t appear to be any evidence at this point that the game will be delayed, cancelled or otherwise rescheduled. All we know for now is that the NFL has advised the Panthers’ team plane to travel as scheduled:

Panthers interim GM Brandon Beane says league has advised team to travel as planned. Team charter leaves at 1:15 pm.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) December 1, 2012

Panthers’ travel plans staying on schedule doesn’t mean the game will go on Sunday for sure, but it appears to be headed that way.

— Joe Person (@josephperson) December 1, 2012

How the league handles this game is sure to be heavily scrutinized. Stay tuned to Arrowhead Addict and FanSided.com as the story develops.

Dec 18, 2011; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders tackle Khalif Barnes (69) defends against Detroit Lions defensive end Cliff Avril (92) at the O.co Coliseum. The Lions defeated the Raiders 28-27. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The Detroit Lions have until July 15 to agree to a multi-year deal with Cliff Avril or he will play under the one-year, $10.6 million franchise tender. One of the recent defensive end contracts that is often used as a point of reference in the Avril situation is that of Carolina Panther Charles Johnson. Take this into consideration, from The Post Game on Yahoo! Sports:

Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning and Tom Brady got many of the NFL headlines a year ago, but it was a mostly unknown, Carolina Panthers defensive end Charles Johnson, who led the way in overall pro football compensation. Johnson earned a stunning $34 million during the 2011 season, the first of a six-year, $72 million contract.

Johnson’s big payday in 2011 was due in part to the $30 million signing bonus so he will fall down the list starting next year but it highlights the huge financial commitment from the Panthers. Are the Lions willing to go that far? It seems unlikely that they are, otherwise a long term agreement would have been reached prior to the franchise tag deadline.

This offseason has brought about two interesting examples in the way the Lions have dealt with the contract situations of two important players.

Stephen Tulloch, and other free agent linebackers, sought a deal in the neighborhood of the one D’Qwell Jackson got from the Cleveland Browns. They gave Jackson a five-year, $42.5 million contract to keep him off the free agent market. Instead of blindly accepting Jackson’s deal as a reference point for a Tulloch deal, the Lions were patient and ultimately re-signed Tulloch for five years and $25.5 million after a Jackson-sized market never developed. The Browns and D’Qwell Jackson may have set a precedent, but that didn’t mean the Lions had to follow it.

The Lions’ dealing with Tulloch was about being shrewd, not cheap. They proved they are anything but cheap in making Calvin Johnson the highest paid wide receiver in league history and put him among the highest paid players in the league, regardless of position. CJ is the best, they know it and they stepped up to pay him like it.

Cliff Avril likely falls in the middle of these two examples. The big unknown is how much Cliff Avril could command on the open market but defensive ends, particularly young and productive defensive ends, have little problem finding suitors. It only takes one team to fall in love and throw big bucks at a player like Avril and letting him enter free agency would be a gamble. That doesn’t mean the Lions should feel pressured into filling a wheelbarrow full of money just to keep him off the market. Ultimately, the Lions will have to set a limit that they are willing to approach independent of league-wide precedent and be ready to face the consequences. For better or worse.

Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

The draft order was mostly set following the Giants’ victory over the Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI but two ties earlier in the draft needed to be settled by a coin flip. That tossing of the coin happened today at the NFL Combine.

As a result, the Miami Dolphins will hold the eighth pick while the Carolina Panthers pick ninth. Also, the Kansas City Chiefs will pick 11th with the Seahawks picking 12th.

The first round is locked in stone:

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14)
2. St. Louis Rams (2-14)
3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13)
4. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-12)
6. Washington Redskins (5-11)
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
8. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
9. Carolina Panthers (6-10)
10. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
11. Kansas City Chiefs (7-9)
12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8)
16. New York Jets (8-8)
17. Cincinnati Bengals via Oakland Raiders (8-8)
18. San Diego Chargers (8-8)
19. Chicago Bears (8-8)
20. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)
22. Cleveland Browns via Atlanta Falcons (10-6)
23. Detroit Lions (10-6)
24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
25. Denver Broncos (8-8)
26. Houston Texans (10-6)
27. New England Patriots via New Orleans Saints (13-3)
28. Green Bay Packers (15-1)
29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
30. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
31. New England Patriots (13-3)
32. New York Giants (9-7)

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