Genard Avery

Genard Avery (born April 26, 1995) is an American football defensive end for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Memphis, he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2018 NFL Draft.

Genard Avery
refer to caption
Avery with the Eagles in 2021.
Indianapolis Colts
Position:Defensive end
Personal information
Born: (1995-04-26) April 26, 1995
Grenada, Mississippi, U.S.
Height:6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:250 lb (113 kg)
Career information
High school:Grenada
College:Memphis (2014–2017)
NFL Draft:2018 / Round: 5 / Pick: 150
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Roster status:Injured reserve
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2022
Total tackles:106
Sacks:8.5
Forced fumbles:1
Fumble recoveries:1
Pass deflections:5
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

High school career

Avery attended Grenada High School, where he was named to the Clarion-Ledger 2013 All-State Team and was the Most Valuable Player of Mississippi 6A Region. He played in the Mississippi-Alabama All-Star Game, and was a member of The Clarion-Ledger's Targeted 22.[1] H registered 111 tackles and six sacks and forced five fumbles as a junior to earn Class 6A All-State honors.[1][2]

As a senior, Avery tallied 75 total tackles, 3.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He also saw playing time on offense, accounting for 72 rushing yards on 18 carries and five offensive touchdowns. During senior year, recorded a season-high 10 tackles (9 solo stops) in a 51–14 win over DeSoto Central.[1]

Avery was also a Class 6A state champion powerlifter and four-year track and field letter-winner.[1]

College career

As a freshman at Memphis, Avery had five tackles. As a junior, he had 81 tackles including 11 for loss and two interceptions returned for touchdowns. Avery followed that up with 80 tackles including 22 tackles for loss.[3][1]

Avery played in 50 career games with 34 starts, including every game of his final two seasons. His 45.5 career tackles for loss ranks second in the Memphis record book behind Tim Harris (49). His 21.5 sacks ranks third in program history behind Martin Ifedi (22.5) and Tramont Lawless (22). His 22.0 tackles for loss as a senior is a new Memphis single season record.[4][1]

Avery had 232 career tackles, which is fifth all-time at Memphis, adding four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, seven passes defended and two interceptions, both returned for touchdowns in 2016.[1]

He graduated from the University of Memphis in December 2017, completing his degree in Organizational Leadership in 3+1⁄2 years.[4][1]

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard split20-yard shuttleThree-cone drillVertical jumpBroad jumpBench press
6 ft 0+1⁄2 in
(1.84 m)		 248 lb
(112 kg)		 31 in
(0.79 m)		 10+1⁄8 in
(0.26 m)		4.59 s1.59 s2.67 s4.36 s6.90 s36.0 in
(0.91 m)		10 ft 4 in
(3.15 m)		26 reps
All values from NFL Combine[5][6]
Avery with the Eagles in 2021

Cleveland Browns

Avery was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round (150th overall) of the 2018 NFL Draft.[3]

On May 13, 2018, Avery signed a rookie contract worth just under $2.7 million. It includes a signing bonus worth $280,000.[7] In the season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Avery recorded one strip sack and four total tackles in his NFL debut.[8] He finished his rookie season with 40 tackles and 4.5 sacks after playing in every game, while starting in 5 of them.

During his second year, Avery fell into disfavor under the new defensive scheme of Steve Wilks[9] and through the first 7 games of the season, he was only active during two games and was on the field for only 5 snaps.

Philadelphia Eagles

On October 28, 2019, one day before the trade deadline, Avery was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.[10]

In week 9, during his debut game with the Eagles, Avery recorded two tackles and half of a sack during the 22–14 win against the Chicago Bears. Avery remained active for the last 7 games, but he didn't record any more statistics for the rest of the season. He was inactive for the Eagles' wild card game against the Seahawks.[11]

In week 4 of the 2020 season, Avery recorded 5 QB-hits and a sack during the 25–20 win against the San Francisco 49ers.[12] On October 30, 2020, Avery was placed on injured reserve with an elbow injury.[13] He was activated on November 30, 2020.[14] He finished his season with 12 tackles and 1.5 sacks.

Entering the 2021 season, Avery was given a more prominent role as a starting outside linebacker. During the week 5 game against the Carolina Panthers, Avery recorded 8 tackles in the 21–18 win; the most tackles he had ever recorded in a single game up to that point.[15] On January 3, 2022, Avery was placed on the COVID list.[16] He was activated one week later on January 10. He finished the season with 43 tackles and 1 sack, while playing in 16 games and starting 12 of them, missing just one game where the Eagles did not play their starters.[17]

Pittsburgh Steelers

On March 28, 2022, Avery signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers.[18] He was released on August 23, 2022.[19]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On August 25, 2022, Avery was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[20] He was released on August 30, 2022, and signed to the practice squad the next day.[21][22] He was promoted to the active roster on October 11.[23] On December 23, Avery was placed on season–ending injured reserve with an abdomen injury he had suffered in Week 14.[24]

Indianapolis Colts

On June 1, 2023, Avery signed with the Indianapolis Colts.[25] He was placed on injured reserve on August 18, 2023.[26]

NFL career statistics
Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GPGSCombSoloAstSckIntYdsAvgTDPDFFFRTD
2018CLE 1654030104.5000.004110
2019CLE 201100000.000000
PHI 805230.5000.000000
2020PHI 11012661.5000.001000
2021PHI 16124321221.0000.000000
Career531710160417.500005110
Source: NFL.com

References
  1. "Genard Avery - 2017 - Football".
  2. "Avery wins state powerlifting title". The Grenada Star. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  3. "Browns select Memphis LB Genard Avery with No. 150 pick in 2018 NFL Draft". ClevelandBrowns.com. April 28, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved May 27, 2018.
  4. "Memphis football trio overcame adversity to prepare for NFL Draft". CommercialAppeal.com. April 25, 2018.
  5. "Genard Avery Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  6. "Genard Avery, Memphis, ILB, 2018 NFL Draft Scout, NCAA College Football". draftscout.com. Retrieved October 14, 2021.
  7. Cabot, Mary kay (May 22, 2018). "Browns sign 5th-round draft pick Genard Avery to 4-year deal worth about $2.695 million". The Plain Dealer. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  8. Rutter, Joe. "Steelers let 14-point advantage slip away, settle for tie with Browns". Trib Live. Retrieved October 3, 2018.
  9. "Genard Avery: Why the Browns keep the 2nd-year defender as a healthy scratch".
  10. Spadaro, Dave (October 28, 2019). "DE Genard Avery adds to young mix at pass-rushing spot". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Retrieved October 28, 2019.
  11. "Genard Avery 2019 Game Logs".
  12. "Genard Avery 2020 Game Logs".
  13. McPherson, Chris (October 30, 2020). "Roster Moves: Eagles place DE Genard Avery and LB Nathan Gerry on Injured Reserve". PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
  14. McPherson, Chris (November 30, 2020). "Eagles announce three roster moves ahead of kickoff". PhiladelphiaEagles.com. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
  15. "Genard Avery 2021 Game Logs".
  16. Oddo, Jillian (January 3, 2022). "Eagles place 12 players on Reserve/COVID-19 list". PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
  17. Bowman, Paul (January 10, 2022). "Eagles Clear COVID List, Place Three on IR". SportsTalkPhilly.com.
  18. "Steelers sign Avery, Joseph". Steelers.com. March 31, 2022.
  19. Varley, Teresa (August 23, 2022). "Steelers reduce roster to 80 players". Steelers.com.
  20. Smith, Scott (August 25, 2022). "Bucs Sign Genard Avery, Lend Experience to LB Corps". Buccaneers.com.
  21. Smith, Scott (August 30, 2022). "Tyler Johnson Among Cuts as Bucs Get to 53". Buccaneers.com.
  22. Smith, Scott (August 31, 2022). "Bucs Start 2022 Practice Squad with 14 Returning Players". Buccaneers.com.
  23. Smith, Scott (October 11, 2022). "Bucs Promote OLB Genard Avery to Active Roster". Buccaneers.com.
  24. "Buccaneers' Genard Avery: Lands on IR". cbssports.com. Retrieved October 7, 2023.
  25. "Colts sign DE Genard Avery, waive RB Darius Hagans". Colts.com. June 1, 2023.
  26. "Colts sign WR James Washington, place DE Genard Avery on injured reserve, waive-injured WR Malik Turner". Colts.com. August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 18, 2023.
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