Four-Time Pro Bowler Likely Headed Back to Minnesota
Josh Frey
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After an offseason filled with theatrics between the two sides, it appears that the Vikings and Everson Griffen have agreed to a contract to put the veteran DE back in the purple and gold.
The 33-year-old was selected by Minnesota in the fourth round of the 2010 draft. He spent his first 10 years with the Vikings, playing 147 games and recording 74.5 sacks en route to four Pro Bowl selections.
Following the 2019 season, Griffen decided to leave Minnesota, signing a deal with Dallas. He seven games for the Cowboys before being dealt to the Detroit Lions. In total, he played 14 games and recorded six sacks.
The reunion comes at a time where there is much dispute over who will be the starting RE opposite of Danielle Hunter. The Vikings have a few options from Stephen Weatherly, D.J. Wonnum, and even rookie Patrick Jones II. However, none have truly emerged as a clear starter for week one in Cincinnati.
Griffen’s veteran presence will be a welcomed edition to the squad as the Vikings pass rush in 2020 was abysmal. In fact, Griffen’s sack total from last season would have led the Vikings despite only starting two games. Because Minnesota has a ton of depth at the position, they will not need to rely on Griffen to play three downs. This is key due to his age. Per Pro-Football-Reference, the veteran played just 25% of all defensive snaps in Dallas and 22% in Detroit. The Vikings won’t need much more than that, but it’ll be nice to have his talent on key third downs.
Overall, this signing is the cherry on top to a very lucrative offseason for the Vikings. The Vikings have already added a ton of depth to the defense, including Dalvin Tomlinson, Patrick Peterson and Bashaud Breeland, so another pass-rushing presence is exactly what this team needs if they want to compete for a Super Bowl.