The Dallas Cowboys could be in line to steal another productive pass rusher to line up opposite DeMarcus Lawrence. Last season, the club pounced when Robert Quinn, traded from Los Angeles to the Miami Dolpins in a prior year, was going to be released and was given permission to work out a trade. Now, they might have a similar opportunity to gain a quality edge rusher.
Earlier in the offseason, the four-time Pro Bowler (including 2019) opted out of his final remaining three years with the Vikings. Prior to the 2019 league year, the club renegotiated with Griffen to give them salary cap space for the just-finished season. Griffen turned in a strong performance, notching eight sacks in his 10th year in the league. Now, he’s cut off contract talks to return to Minnesota and according to David Moore of the Dallas Morning News, the Cowboys are interested to see if something could be worked out.
Cowboys have interest here. Would be a quality addition to the defensive line. https://t.co/8E83OCTciA
— David Moore (@DavidMooreDMN) March 20, 2020
The club traded a 2020 sixth-round pick for Quinn, and are set to get a 2021 third-round pick as compensation for losing him to the Chicago Bears in a mammoth five-year, $70 million deal. Now they, or any team, will be possible to sign a comparable player such as Griffen, and not have it impact their comp pick value because he didn’t not complete the entire term of his previous contract.
Dallas has yet to sign someone to replace Quinn. They are expected to get Randy Gregory back from suspension as the substance abuse policy was overhauled under the new CBA. Still, he was out of the game for a year and how much of an impact he can make will be a question mark.
Griffen is fourth in Minnesota Viking history in sacks with 74.5, behind John Randle, Chris Doleman and Jared Allen. The club seems to be in rebuild mode, as they’ve lost two of their top three corners in Trae Waynes and Xavier Rhodes, and traded away star WR Stefon Diggs.
Their loss could be the Cowboys gain, on multiple levels. Signing Griffen would not only help this year, but Dallas currently is slated to have five picks in the top 105 of next year’s draft if they do not sign any comp-qualifying free agent on a similar level to Quinn or Byron Jones. There are only two potential players remaining in that category, DE Jadeveon Clowney and QB Jameis Winston.
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