Report: Veteran CB Shaquill Griffin Signs a One-Year Contract with the Vikings
According to Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report, the Vikings are bringing in veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin for a one-year contract worth as much as $6 million.
Over the course of his seven NFL seasons, Griffin, who turns 29 this summer, has made 83 career starts for four different clubs. After a stellar career at UCF, he was selected by the Seahawks in the third round of the 2017 draft. During his rookie deal, he started 57 games for Seattle, including playoff games.
As a Seahawk, Griffin amassed 51 passes defensed, six interceptions, and nine tackles for loss. In 2019, he was selected for the Pro Bowl.
Griffin inked a large free agent deal with the Jaguars three years ago. He had a strong rookie campaign in Jacksonville, making 14 starts and recording the second-best PFF grade of his career (72).
However, he was limited to just five games in 2022 due to injuries, and he was terminated this offseason in order to save cap space. After signing with the Texans, Griffin appeared in ten games before being cut. The Panthers subsequently acquired Griffin off waivers to finish the season.
Griffin’s career has been somewhat of a roller coaster over the past several years, so in 2024 he hopes to return to the Vikings. In Minnesota, the 6-foot-2, 200-pound veteran ought to have a chance to push for a starting position as an outside corner.
He’s a major addition to the Vikings CB room, which also includes Akayleb Evans, Mekhi Blackmon, and Byron Murphy Jr. He offers experience and the ability to make plays. Griffin and Evans should battle it out to start on the boundary, with Murphy or Blackmon occupying the slot most of the time.
The Vikings’ playing field for outside cornerback performance is increased by Griffin. He has only received a PFF grade of less than 60 once in the last seven seasons and at least 64 five times. Even in his final year, which he divided between Carolina and Houston, he received a strong 67.0.
The specifics of Griffin’s deal and whether or not he enters the 2025 compensatory pick calculation will be interesting to watch.
