Pro Bowl CB Could Grab Vikings Interest
The Minnesota Vikings have oodles of 2023 offseasons decision afoot, measures on tap for attention within the next week. The NFL’s “legal tampering” portion of free agency kicks off on March 13th.
General manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah must scoot underneath the salary cap and has a $24 million hill to climb as of March 2nd.
Pro Bowl CB Could Grab Vikings Interest
But when Minnesota’s financial ducks fall in a row, the franchise might pursue a veteran cornerback in free agency. Interestingly, a big-name version of those was released Thursday — Shaquill Griffin of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz tweeted the news Thursday, “Breaking: CB Shaquill Griffin is expected to be released by the Jaguars, sources tell The Score. I’m told he was fully cleared medically and should command a lot of attention as one of the best corners to hit the FA market. Only 27, he earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2019.”
The 27-year-old joined the NFL as a member of the Seattle Seahawks in 2017 from the 3rd Round of the NFL Draft. Since then, he’s tabulated the aforementioned Pro Bowl appeareance, 327 total tackles, 59 passes defended, 6 interceptions, 3 QB hits, and 1 sack — in 76 career games, 72 of which he started.
The Vikings employ Andrew Booth, Cameron Dantzler, and Akayleb Evans as possibly-startable corners at the moment, but change could oscillate in the CB room over the next two months. Booth, Dantzler, and Evans could all respectively blossom into great players, but those are mere “ifs” during the 2023 offseason. Griffin isn’t an if.
Too, Minnesota could save $14.5 million in cap space this March by releasing linebackers Eric Kendricks and Jordan Hicks. The team could theoretically use those funds to improve the defense with someone like Griffin — or another linebacker or cornerback.
Here’s the tale of the tape from Pro Football Focus for Griffin:
- 2017 = 65.3
- 2018 = 54.7
- 2019 = 77.0
- 2020 = 64.1
- 2021 = 72.0
- 2022 = 61.8
If the Vikings bow out of the Griffin sweepstakes, they’ll still likely explore a different starting cornerback to hold down the secondary. In Brian Flores’ defense, CBs will be expected to thrive with press coverage, and if the club doesn’t welcome back Patrick Peterson or Duke Shelley, it needs a bonafide CB1 commodity.
Griffin ranks third leaguewide in tackles among cornerbacks in six seasons as a pro. His brother Shaquem also played professional football before retiring last summer.
The Jaguars saved about $13 million in cap space by releasing Griffin.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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