Tag: Shaquill Griffin

Texans CB Shaquill Griffin sees WR Robert Woods’ influence on young wideouts

Houston Texans cornerback Shaquill Griffin faced Robert Woods twice in the NFC West, and sees some of his same moves permeating through the WR corps.

Shaquill Griffin and Robert Woods go way back.

From 2017-20, the Houston Texans cornerback and receiver faced each other as foes in the NFC West. Griffin played for the Seattle Seahawks while Woods suited up for the Los Angeles Rams.

It is why when Griffin was asked which receivers had performed well through a week and a half of training camp, all the former Pro Bowler could think about was Woods, the “savvy vet.”

“I got the chance to go against him twice a year when I was with Seattle and for him to continue to show up and be that leader for those guys you could tell they’re picking up a lot of the things that he does,” Griffin said.

Woods tore his ACL after nine games in 2021 when the Rams eventually won the Super Bowl. The former Buffalo Bills 2013 second-rounder spent 2022 with the Tennessee Titans, but hardly produced anywhere near his days in Los Angeles — 53 catches for 527 yards and two touchdowns.

Nevertheless the younger wideouts on the roster — John Metchie, Tank Dell to name a couple — still know Woods’ 142 career games give him credibility on playing the game consistently. Griffin is facing some of Woods’ moves as they permeate throughout the receiving corps.

“Even at the top of his route being able to use his hands and hand play to get off and create separation, I’m starting to see the guys do the same move that he’s doing, so I can tell that he is taking it upon himself to make sure that the young group of receivers is starting to step up in a major way.”

The Texans’ receiving corps doesn’t have a household name, which allows the unit to fly under the radar. However, names will emerge if the corps is able to play with any consistency as Woods as shown throughout his 11-year career.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=601915565]

Shaquill Griffin says Texans’ defense is designed for cornerbacks to create turnovers

Shaquill Griffin detailed how the Houston Texans’ defense is constructed in a way that cornerbacks play a key role in creating turnovers.

Though the Houston Texans’ secondary is highlighted by the younger talent that will take the field at NRG Stadium next season, perhaps their most underrated asset is cornerback Shaquill Griffin who signed with the team as a free agent in the offseason.

Griffin’s veteran presence should help lift his less experienced teammates in 2023, but with the regular season still months away, the function that the cornerback might serve in the Texans’ defense remains unclear. The former Jacksonville Jaguar told reporters about his potential after practice last week about what he expects his role to look like, noting that his primary goal is to create turnovers for DeMeco Ryans’ defense.

“I feel like the main thing he is trying to accomplish with our position, he’s trying to get the corners in a position to really go for that ball,” Griffin said. “I feel like the main thing is the defense we’re able to play, the changes we’re able to do, the help we’re able to get, depending on whatever situation or whatever play-call it is, it gives us the opportunity to really play the ball. The main thing is to create turnovers and get that ball back to our offense, and they put us in a great situation and a great scenario to be able to do that this year.”

For all of the Texans’ faults last season, their secondary managed to intercept 11 passes over the course of their schedule, and with a defensive-minded coach at the helm in 2023, they may be able to exceed that number.

Griffin should play a part in Houston’s effort to exceed its 2022 performance, and with enough playing time, could set career-best marks for ball production in the process.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

CB Shaquill Griffin ready to thrive in the Texans’ defensive system

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin is ready to play at a high level in the Houston Texans’ defensive scheme led by coach DeMeco Ryans.

It wasn’t long ago that Shaquill Griffin was one of the more coveted corners in the NFL.

After the Seattle Seahawks drafted Griffin in 2017, the third-rounder entered 2021 as one of the better available free agent defensive backs. His time with the late-stage Legion of Boom had seen Griffin blossom into an every-down starter for the Seahawks and he was even selected as a Pro Bowler in 2019. Griffin’s career high three interceptions during the 2020 campaign set him up nicely to cash in on the open market and it didn’t take much time at all.

The then 25-year-old corner signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars to kickoff 2021 free agency. His contract was part of a concerted effort by new coach Urban Meyer to turn the team around with rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence and it would also signal his first time as a featured corner.

Unfortunately, Griffin’s tenure was nearly as rocky as the coach that coveted him.

Griffin started 14 games in 2021 but saw career lows in tackles, passes defended, and interceptions. His follow-up campaign in 2022 under new head coach Doug Pederson was then marred by injuries, with Griffin only playing in five games this past season. He was ultimately cut by the Jaguars as a cap casualty.

Now, right back where he started in a position where Griffin needs to prove himself, he saw the new look Houston Texans and the new staff under DeMeco Ryans as a great place to re-write his script.

“Some other teams that kind of showed interest, definitely it was Minnesota,” Griffin told the media in reference to how he chose Houston over other potential suitors. “I talked to Jacksonville again, talked to Washington, talked to a couple other teams, but the only visit I really took was here to Houston, and then once I got here, I felt the energy.

“Kind of felt like I was going to be at home here. I love the system they were already running, I was already familiar with the system that they had. So, I kind of based my decision off something that I knew I would be able to get in and start and move fast right away.”

Griffin’s choice of Houston is not insignificant. Minnesota and Jacksonville are considered high-end playoff contenders in their respective conferences entering the 2023 season. Washington lacks the perimeter corner talent that the Texans currently have between second-year corner Derek Stingley and veteran Steven Nelson.

He’s not the first veteran to highlight the excitement of the Texans’ new system under Ryans. Ryans piloted the league’s best defense in San Francisco last season, winning AP Assistant Coach of the Year, and his corners were some of the major beneficiaries under the scheme. Under Ryans, Griffin will be allowed to be more physical and the scheme should highlight the strengths that made him a Pro Bowl caliber player previously in Seattle.

In San Francisco, Ryans ran predominantly Cover 3, the same coverage scheme Griffin excelled under in Seattle, and blended it with Cover 6 concepts made popular by Vic Fangio to create one of the league’s most difficult defensive systems to prepare for. That unique twist, while still being very familiar to the Seattle defense, is something Griffin has quickly come to enjoy since arriving in Houston.

“I feel like the change-up excites me the most,” Griffin said. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of stuff in our bag to be able to change things up, especially to be able to adapt to any situation. But, number one would be, being in Seattle, I’m definitely familiar with that whole process on how they run their system. So, that kind of makes a lot of things in adjusting really easy for me. So, I love that part.”

The defensive secondary will be one of the strengths of the 2023 Texans. Griffin’s presence alongside Stingley, Nelson and great slot corners like Desmond King and Tavierre Thomas should allow for phenomenal creativity in the secondary. Safeties Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward will be scheme interchangeable and can likely make the picture even more difficult for offenses.

Griffin will look to compete for the starting job opposite Stingley and can provide key depth during the season at a position group that struggled to stay healthy during the 2022 campaign. A return to Pro Bowl caliber play could spark a defensive resurgence under Ryans much faster than is expected nationally.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

Shaquill Griffin says Texans have ‘young, starving guys’ in the secondary

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin says that the Houston Texans secondary has “young, starving guys” on the backend.

Unproven though they may be, the Houston Texans’ secondary is talented on paper.

Peppered with high draft picks and tested veterans, the team should be in good hands as its ball-hawking safeties and cornerbacks patrol the defensive backfield for errant throws and lame ducks.

One of the fresher faces in the unit is former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who looks to play a key role in the Texans defense. Griffin spoke to the media about his impression of the secondary on Wednesday after Houston’s practice session, telling reporters about the potential he sees.

“We’ve got some young, starving guys right now,” Griffin said. “You’ve got a person who’s going to come out here and give everything they have. And there’s not too many times where you have a whole secondary that’s willing to help each other, that’s willing to grind it out, that’s willing to compete in every single day, especially in this Texas heat.

The eight-year pro ended his comments with a particularly inspired thought on how players in the unit are feeding off of each other, spreading an infectious energy that is sure to benefit the Texans when the regular season starts in September.

“These guys are hungry,” Griffin said, “and I love that because the type of energy they bring is so contagious, and that’s the type of secondary that you need to bring this defense along.”

As new coach DeMeco Ryans’ scheme is predicated upon an attacking defensive front, the secondary could have its chances to make big plays.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1362]

CB Shaquill Griffin passing down ‘Legion of Boom’ values to young Texans

Houston Texans cornerback Shaquill Griffin is passing along what he learned from the “Legion of Boom” to the young secondary.

HOUSTON — There have been elite defenses throughout NFL history known simply by their nicknames.

The 1985 Chicago Bears were the “Monsters of the Midway,” the 1972-79 Pittsburgh Steelers had the “Steel Curtain,” and the 1987-92 New Orleans Saints had a “Dome Patrol” inside the Superdome.

Then there was the Seattle Seahawks, whose menacing defense dominated opponents throughout the mid-2010s on their way to five NFC West titles and two Super Bowl appearances. Safety Kam Chancellor tagged them with the “Legion of Boom,” and it stuck.

Houston Texans cornerback Shaquill Griffin was not around when those legendary defenses from the ’70s through the ’90s were punishing offensive players. Still, he was able to witness what Seattle did throughout their run. The Seahawks’ 2017 third-round pick benefitted by playing and learning from the core of that defensive unit.

“I got a chance to play with some guys that kind of helped shape my game a lot,” Griffin said during his media availability on Wednesday after mandatory minicamp. “You know, you’re talking about the Richard Sherman’s, the Earl Thomas’, the Kam Chancellor’s, the guys who actually took the time to take me under their wing and teach me some things that I use now today.”

Griffin signed a one-year contract with the Texans in May after being released by the Jacksonville Jaguars in March.

Outside of being a valuable asset for the defensive unit on the field, one of his main objectives is to help guide the younger defensive backs and give them the same advice and knowledge he was given in Seattle.

“If you have knowledge, give it,” Griffin said. “I’m not the type of person to hold all that stuff to myself. It started off day one, and whatever I know, I’m going to continue to preach it.”

Yet, the former 2019 Pro Bowl player also knows that he has to earn the players’ respect in the locker room before anyone begins to listen to him, but that is something he is used to, and he has always let his actions speak louder than his words.

“I feel like right now, my main thing is, I don’t want to come in and feel like I need to step on anybody’s toes because I want to earn my voice,” said Griffin. “I know what type of caliber of player I am, and I know what I’ve been through. I know how last year was, and I feel like I’m here now to earn my name, earn this voice, to be able to be that voice for this team, for these guys, I have to earn it first, and that’s the part where I’m at right now.”

[lawrence-related id=83854,83893]

Jaguars carrying just $5.5 million in dead money for 2023 season

Only four teams are on the hook for less dead money than the Jaguars for the 2023 season.

The Jacksonville Jaguars carried close to $35 million in dead money against the salary cap in 2022. That won’t be the case at all next season, though.

Dead money is a term used to describe salary cap hits for players who are no longer on the roster. For example, $9.9 million of the Jaguars’ salary cap space in 2022 was allocated to linebacker Joe Schobert, who was traded by the team in August 2021 just one year after signing a five-year deal in 2020.

According to Over The Cap, the Jaguars are currently on the hook for just $5.5 million from players who aren’t currently on the roster. Only four teams are carrying less dead space right now than Jacksonville. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams both have more than $74 million in dead money for the 2023 season.

Here are the five former Jaguars players who will count against the team’s salary cap in 2023:

Texans reportedly sign ex-Jaguars CB Shaquill Griffin to 1-year deal

Shaquill Griffin is reportedly staying in the AFC South.

Former Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin, who was released by the team earlier this year, will stay in the AFC South after joining the Houston Texans on a one-year deal, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

Griffin, 27, began his career with the Seattle Seahawks and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2019. The Jaguars made Griffin their prized addition of the 2021 offseason, signing the cornerback to a three-year, $40 million deal.

After earning a respectable 72.0 grade from Pro Football Focus in his first year in Jacksonville, Griffin struggled in the first month of the 2022 season. He was credited with allowing three touchdowns in five games — including a game-winner against the Indianapolis Colts — before landing on injured reserve with a back injury. Griffin never returned and was released in March to clear more than $13.1 million in salary cap space.

In Houston, Griffin will join a secondary that features 2022 top five draft pick Derek Stingley as well as veterans Steven Nelson and Darius Phillips.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

[stnvideo key=”XnFNf66jqr-2736912-7617″ type=”float”]

Report: Texans sign CB Shaquill Griffin to 1-year contract

The Houston Texans have signed former Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin to a one-year contract.

Talent evaluation and personnel acquisition never stops for the Houston Texans.

According to Aaron Wilson from KPRC-TV, the Texans signed former Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin to a one-year contract. The maximum value of the contract is worth $4.5 million with $3 million guaranteed.

Griffin, 27, played 19 games for the Jaguars over the past two seasons. The former Seahawks third-round pick collected 59 combined tackles, three tackles for loss, two quarterback hits, a forced fumble, and 11 pass breakups for Jacksonville.

The 6-0, 198-pound cornerback’s best season was in 2019 when he amassed 65 combined tackles, two tackles for loss, and 13 pass breakups through 14 games, all of which he started en route to his only Pro Bowl selection.

[lawrence-auto-related count=1 category=1365]

11 veteran free agents the Rams should consider signing following the 2023 NFL draft

The 2023 NFL draft has passed and the Rams could still sign these veterans to fill the remaining holes on their roster.

The 2023 NFL draft is now behind us, with the Los Angeles Rams making 14 total selections in the seven rounds. After the draft was completed, the Rams have also proceeded to sign 26 undrafted rookies to deals.

Besides adding first-year players via the draft, the Rams will likely use free agency to shape the rest of their roster this offseason. With the draft passing by, teams in the NFL can now sign veterans without it affecting their compensatory pick status.

So with the Rams having an opportunity to choose from the remaining free agents, here are 11 veterans they should consider signing this offseason to fill the rest of the holes on the roster.

NFL Free Agency figures to pick up again: Here are 5 great options for Raiders

5 great options for Raiders as Free Agency figures to heat up again.

Typically you think of free agency as happening in March. That’s when those players whose contracts are up with their clubs are able to negotiate and sign elsewhere. And for the most part, the top options fly off the market, following by a couple more “waves”. Then it cools down and teams shift their focus to the draft.

But that doesn’t mean it’s over. It’s more of a break before it starts up again.

There is another wave starting up now. Why? Well, two reasons, really: One, it’s when players can be signed and it will no longer count against the team’s compensatory pick total. And two, because the draft is done which means teams know what areas they were able to address and which still require some attention.

For the Raiders, they were able to address basically edge rusher and tight end for certain.

At seven overall they got edge rusher Tyree Wilson and at 35 overall they got tight end Michael Mayer. Those are the two sure starting caliber players. After that, there’s still plenty of room for upgrades and competition.

Friday the Raiders cleared up some cap space by restructuring Chandler Jones’s deal, giving him about $4 million to spend on free agency should they wish to use it.

Here a short list of some free agents still out there who could make sense for the Raiders