Seahawks Offseason Profile: Shaquill Griffin

Following a breakout third season with the Seahawks, it’s time to dig deep into the performance of Pro Bowl cornerback Shaquill Griffin in 2019.

Though he set career highs in games played (16), interceptions (2), total tackles (62), and tackles for loss, the UCF product wasn't pleased with his first full season as a starter. He put too much pressure on himself to replace Richard Sherman's production and quarterbacks posted a 104.8 passer rating against him.

Giving himself a "D or D+" for his play, Griffin shed 12 pounds and changed his diet last offseason, allowing the 6-foot cornerback to improve his endurance and quickness. He also put an emphasis on film study, watching the 2013 "Legion of Boom" secondary.

Let’s revisit some of the good and the bad from Griffin’s third NFL season, along with a prediction of how next season may play out for the rising star cornerback.

What Went Right

With Seattle looking to return to the playoffs for the second consecutive season, coach Pete Carroll hoped Griffin would be able to make the leap initially expected of him in 2018, and he did just that.

Over 14 regular season starts, Griffin produced a career-high 65 total tackles, 10th most by a cornerback in the league, and also generated 13 pass deflections and a pair of tackles for loss, according to Pro-Football-Reference.com.

Earning his first trip to the Pro Bowl, he made substantial improvements in coverage in a variety of metrics in 2019.

In 2018, Griffin allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 66 percent of passes against him, but improved that rate by 9.2 percent last season. While an injury late in the season slowed him down to an extent, he also gave up 222 less receiving yards in coverage and trimmed his yards per completion against him by a full yard.

In addition to his impressive production throughout the regular season, the third-year pro recorded seven total tackles and one pass deflection during Seattle’s two playoff matchups.

Among his many superb performances this past season, Griffin's best game likely came during Seattle’s 32-28 victory in Cleveland in Week 6. The 24-year old cornerback produced five total tackles and tied a single game career-high with three pass deflections.

Each of those deflections proved to be big plays in the Seahawks comeback victory, including a tipped pass in the end zone that led to an interception by safety Tedric Thompson shortly before halftime.

What Went Wrong

While the former third-round selection enjoyed his most successful season in 2019, he still struggled to get his hands on the football and create turnovers in Seattle's secondary.

Untimely penalties by teammates wiped out two picks during the season, but Griffin was one of just seven cornerbacks who tallied at least 50 total tackles and failed to record a single interception last season. And this isn't a new issue for him.

Throughout his career, Griffin has struggled to intercept passes, registering just three picks in 45 career games. He does a good job positioning himself to make a play, but improving his ball skills remains an area he must strive towards improving this offseason.

While Griffin did improve in most statistical categories as a cover corner last year, he still allowed four touchdown passes against him, 12.7 yards per completion and a fairly high passer rating of 97.3. A hamstring injury that bothered him late in the season impacted each of those numbers as well.

2020 Outlook

Comparing Griffin's first three seasons to other cornerbacks historically, there's been just six players since 1920 who have produced at least 180 total tackles and exactly three interceptions through their first three professional seasons.

During their fourth respective seasons, only Larry Brown, Cedric Griffin, and Artell Hawkins produced three or more interceptions from that group, which begs the question whether or not Griffin will suddenly develop better ball skills. All three corners recorded at least 50 total tackles during that same campaign.

Still, even with these results, Griffin definitely has the potential to take yet another step forward in the final year of his rookie contract. Coming off his best season, he's expressed a desire to shadow top receivers and expand beyond playing strictly on the left side, which would be a major change for Seattle's defense.

If he's able to stay healthy and get his hands on the football for a few interceptions, Griffin has a great chance to earn his second career Pro Bowl appearance in 2020. His continued development will be a significant key to the Seahawks' Super Bowl chances and could set him up for a lucrative extension.