Cliff Avril Ruled Out with Neck Injury Suffered vs. Colts

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The Seattle Seahawks announced defensive end Cliff Avril suffered a neck injury in the first half of Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts and would not return.

Avril is coming off a 2016 season in which he had a career-high 11.5 sacks, which also tied for sixth-most in the league.

Durability has rarely been a concern for the 31-year-old. Since signing with the Seahawks in 2013, he has missed only one game. A hamstring injury forced him to miss the 2013 season opener.

While Avril has been one of the better defensive ends in the NFL over the last few years, his absence shouldn't be a crippling blow to Seattle. The team has enough depth and talent on defense to withstand the absence of Avril.

Frank Clark, in particular, may be poised for a breakout. After collecting three sacks as a rookie in 2015, he had 10 sacks in his second season. Clark's emergence will help soften the ripple effect Avril's injury creates.

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