Everson Griffen signs with the Dallas Cowboys

The veteran pass rusher joined the Dallas Cowboys. What does he bring to the table at this point in his career?

You can never have enough pass rushers, and the Dallas Cowboys seem to be believers in that mantra. They added to their pass rushing unit on Wednesday night, adding defensive end Everson Griffin into the fold.

Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero and Jane Slater had the news:

The veteran pass rusher has been a force for the Minnesota Vikings over the bulk of his NFL career. He has notched double-digit sack seasons three times in his career, most recently in 2017 when he tallied 13 takedowns of the opposing quarterback. In Dallas, he’ll ply his trade opposite Demarcus Lawrence, and outside of two more offseason acquisitions, Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy.

Here’s what Griffen, who secured eight sacks a year ago, brings to the table. First up, power and and an array of moves. Watch this play against Joe Staley of the San Francisco 49ers, where Griffen first uses a long-arm move before switching immediately to a swim:

On these plays from Week 1 of 2019, you can see how quick and powerful Griffen remains to this point in his career:

And if you want to talk about some veteran savvy, watch this spin move:

 

It is hard not to think about how this move impacts the balance of power in the NFC East. The Philadelphia Eagles, largely considered to be favorites in the division along with the Dallas Cowboys, are potentially moving to a more downfield passing game. That requires more time for the quarterback in the pocket. Furthermore, they’re looking at some adjustments to the offensive line, with Andre Dillard at left tackle and Jason Peters perhaps sliding over to guard to replace the injured Brandon Brooks. Having a defensive front of Griffen, Lawrence, Poe and McCoy is sure to pose problems for even talented OL groups like Philadelphia’s.