Everson Griffen has spent two months in free agency, but the longtime Vikings defensive end does have a market. Strong interest has emerged, with the Cardinals being a new team in the mix for Griffen, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.
Although a Vikings return cannot be ruled out, with the team not doing much to fill its need opposite Danielle Hunter, Griffen is not believed to be a good bet to return to Minnesota. While the 10-year Viking expressed interest in signing with the Seahawks, they may still be monitoring Jadeveon Clowney. Griffen is staying patient, Fowler indicates, and other teams are looking into the 32-year-old edge player.
The Cardinals did not draft an outside pass rusher this year. They signed Terrell Suggs to play opposite Chandler Jones last year but waived him late in the season. Arizona intended to give time to some of its younger edge defenders but may be eyeing a more proven option at this point. Griffen’s 74.5 career sacks are the fourth-most in Vikings history. He booked his fourth Pro Bowl invite last year after an eight-sack regular season.
Jones continued his dominance last season by registering 19.5 sacks. Suggs recorded 5.5 with the Cardinals. No other Cardinal recorded more than three sacks last year. The team did sign Jordan Phillips — who led the Bills with 9.5 sacks in 2019 — but he will operate as an interior pass rusher. The Cardinals have been busy fortifying their front seven this offseason, in also signing De’Vondre Campbell and then drafting Isaiah Simmons eighth overall, but are in the mix to continue adding to the group.
The Cards currently hold just less than $9MM in cap space — much of which will be needed to sign their draft class.
Under over 8 and half for the Vikings this year
Over, only real losses were Diggs and Griffin. Griffen is replaced by Odenigbo and they drafted Diggs replacement. Corners are young but Rhodes is addiction by subtraction. Going to depend a lot on Dalvin Cook.
Under over of 8.5 games played by Cook next year?
It’s called over/under
Yeah that’s strange…I’ve never heard anyone call it an under/over in my 48 years, let alone 2 people in the same thread LOL
Vikings could have dumped Griffen and/or bad-mouthed him when Griffen went through his “mental troubles” but they did not. The entire organization rallied around Griffen and patiently supported him throughout his recovery.
Thanks for YOUR loyalty, Everson Griffen !!
Um, so they weren’t complete a-holes so he owes them? That’s like saying I could have cheated on my wife, but I didn’t so she owes me!!!!
He took a pay cut to stay there and has said nothing but positives about Minnesota. He’d likely take another pay cut if it is offered. The team seems ready to move from him, not the other way around.
Nentwigs –
All the stories I’ve seen indicate that the Vikings have not been pursuing him, nor offered him a contract. Are you just “bad-mouthing” him for no reason or am I missing something?
great it forces Seahawks to go to clowny
Not necessarily. Griffin will be cheaper so he is a better fit financially for Seattle. The Seahawks would love to bring Clowney back but his contract goal is much more than they are able or willing to pay. They are waiting for his price to drop. The inability to give Clowney a physical by a team doctor helped Seattle by driving Clowney’s price down, but this late in the offseason most teams who would have paid for him have made other plans.
Clowney will have to keep dropping his price because the the teams interested in him all know that none of them will pay him that much without a team physical and don’t need him as much now as they would have early in free agency. Clowney will have to settle, which only helps Seattle, because they were about six or million a year under his price range before. He might not end up there, but the Seahawks will just wait and see.
Did anyone sign Suggs or did he retire after winning the Super Bowl?
I think the Orioles will make him their DH.
He could also end up as the ace of their pitching staff LOL