9. Everson Griffen, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
Imagine if you could acquire a veteran pass rusher who is coming off one of the best seasons of his career late in the free agency marketplace. That is exactly what the team that acquires Everson Griffen will accomplish when they sign him to a contract.
Last year Griffen notched 66 total pressures, his highest number since 2016, with nine sacks and 43 quarterback hurries. His 14 quarterback hits were his highest mark in that category since the 2015 campaign, and the second-highest season total in that statistic of his career.
On film he showed both the quickness and the ability to convert speed-to-power last year that have been staples of his career:
Biggest takeaway after watching the Vikings in week 1?
Everson Griffen is back to his 2017 form. Hard to overstate how impactful it is to drop an elite DE back into this defense, especially now that Hunter is right there with him. pic.twitter.com/NuBZ8ROBry
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) September 10, 2019
And if you want to see a technician at work, watch these two examples of Griffen using an array of pass rushing moves on the same drive:
Everson Griffen hitting an inside spin then cross-chop-club/rip on the same drive 2 plays apart. pic.twitter.com/9JDXYox1gG
— Brandon Thorn (@BrandonThornNFL) October 1, 2019
Any time I think about roster construction, I am reminded of a quote that Mike Mayock, then the draft analyst for the NFL Network, made when the Miami Dolphins drafted Dion Jordan in the first round of the 2013 NFL Draft. As that pick was announced Mayock declared that the pocket was “the most important place on the football field.” Mayock went on to say that teams needed a quarterback who can throw from there, offensive lineman who can protect that spot, and defenders who can attack that spot on the field.
Griffen can still attack that spot on the field.