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] He 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]
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 Seattle Seahawks.[11]
In week 4 of the 2020 season, Avery recorded 5 quarterback 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] He re-signed with the team on March 13, 2024.[27] He was released on August 27, and re-signed to the practice squad.[28][29] Avery was signed to the active roster on September 17.[30] He was waived on November 23.[31]
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