Everson Griffen Says Goodbye to Vikings, Seahawks in Pursuit
As the Seahawks and the rest of the NFL world await Jadeveon Clowney's final decision, the team has zeroed in on another veteran target who could help boost their pass rush.
According to a source, Seattle has reached out to free agent defensive end Everson Griffen's camp about a possible reunion with coach Pete Carroll, who recruited him to USC back in 2007.
Griffen, 32, voided the final three years of his deal with the Vikings in February, making him an unrestricted free agent. At the time, he made it clear he intended to return to Minnesota on a new deal, but he took to Instagram to bid farewell to fans on Friday.
“It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye," Griffen wrote.
The Vikings still have a salary cap crisis on their hands, which made re-signing Griffen near impossible. Even after releasing cornerback Xavier Rhodes and defensive tackle Linval Joseph and trading receiver Stefon Diggs to the Bills, they only have $7.9 million in cap room per OverTheCap.com.
As reported by Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune earlier this week, Griffen is "actively exploring the market," and the Seahawks have thrown their hat in the ring with hopes they can lure him to the Pacific Northwest. If the price is right, it could be a perfect fit for both parties.
Though he's no longer in his prime, Griffen made his fourth Pro Bowl in five years in 2019, bouncing back from a tough 2018 season with 41 tackles, 8.0 sacks, and 24 quarterback hits. In 10 seasons, all with the Vikings, he's amassed 355 tackles, 74.5 sacks, and 176 quarterback hits.
Even at this stage of his career, at 6-foot-3, 273 pounds, Griffen has the size and enough athleticism to play either defensive end spot for the Seahawks. After losing Quinton Jefferson to the Bills on Tuesday, he could see extensive action as a base defensive end in the team's 4-3 scheme.
If Seattle manages to re-sign Clowney, they still could look to pair him with Griffen, though a few roster moves would likely need to be made to create enough cap space to sign both players. Among possible options, the Seahawks could cut center Justin Britt to save $8.5 million against the cap or tight end Ed Dickson to create $4 million in cap relief.
Since it's only March 20, the Seahawks wouldn't necessarily have to make those cuts before signing Clowney and/or Griffen. They could lock up the pass rushers and then make corresponding transactions to create space as needed, though any move with Britt would likely need to be done on Friday before his $1 million roster bonus kicks in.
Now that it's clear he won't be returning to Minnesota, Griffen may take his time looking at his options and several teams will be interested. But due to his connection with Carroll and the team's need for pass rushers, Seattle should be monitored closely as a strong possibility to sign him.
