Dolphins Signing Shaquem Griffin
The Miami Dolphins have agreed to terms with former Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin after bringing him in for a visit.
The news, first reported by NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, was confirmed by a league source.
Griffin has been on the market since the Seahawks declined to extend him a qualifying offer as a restricted free agent this offseason. He participated in the Denver Broncos' June minicamp on a tryout basis but was not signed.
Griffin's story is well known by now, how he became the first player with only one hand to be selected in the NFL draft, taken in the fifth round by the Seahawks in 2018 to join his brother Shaquill on the team.
Shaquem earned that distinction after he had a brilliant career at the University of Central Florida and then ran a blistering 4.38 40-yard dash at the scouting combine.
Griffin played 46 games in his three seasons with Seattle but with only one start and almost twice as many of his snaps (506-259) have come on special teams as opposed to defense.
At 6 feet, 227, Griffin obviously is undersized and his role with the Dolphins, should they decide to sign him would be as a situational pass rusher and special teams contributor.
This is a depth signing for the Dolphins and Griffin will have to show in training camp he deserves to be on the 53-man roster.
Here's what Seahawk Maven publisher Corbin Smith wrote about Griffin earlier this offseason:
Selected by the Seahawks in the fifth round in 2018, Griffin became the first player with one hand to be drafted by an NFL team while reuniting with his twin brother Shaquill. Born with amniotic band syndrome, his left hand didn't develop properly and was amputated at the age of four. But he didn't let his condition stop him from excelling on the football field and he eventually earned All-American honors at UCF.
Unfortunately, Griffin's immense college success didn't translate to the NFL as he struggled to earn consistent playing time during his three years in Seattle. Despite possessing 4.38 40-yard dash speed, his lack of size at under 220 pounds impacted his ability to carve out a role as a situational edge rusher. Due to the talent in front of him at linebacker, he wasn't able to make much of an impact at that position either.
Ironically, Griffin's first and only NFL start came in his debut against the Broncos in Week 1 of the 2018 season serving as a replacement for an injured K.J. Wright. After that point, he primarily played special teams for the Seahawks, though the team did utilize him as a specialty pass rusher in spurts during the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
