While Everson Griffen might be getting up there in age, the 32-year-old defensive end has been a force off the edge in his NFL career. While the market for free agents has cooled down during the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for the Pro Bowl edge rusher remains hot.
According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Griffen is receiving significant interest from teams across the league, including the Arizona Cardinals. While there’s no shortage of suitors for his skills as a pass rusher, the veteran is taking his time and weighing his options to find the right home.
Griffen voided his contract with the Minnesota Vikings early this offseason, a year after he restructured his contract to help their cap situation. While he didn’t play to the All-Pro level we saw from him in 2017, the 32-year-old still racked up eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss and 24 quarterback hits in 15 games.
A fourth-round pick out of USC in 2010, Griffen spent a decade with the Vikings. During his 10-year tenure in Minnesota, he made four trips to the Pro Bowl, recorded 74.5 sacks, 86 tackles for loss and 176 quarterback hits.
Griffen can be an excellent veteran in the locker room and could mentor young pass rushers who are learning to develop their technique. He also proved this past season that he can still be a force off the edge, causing havoc in the backfield and putting pressure on quarterbacks.