Vikings Free Agent Update: Cedric Griffin, Erin Henderson

There’s actual kinda-news to blog about concerning a couple of Viking free agents. Let’s start with Cedric Griffin. Per Tom Pelissero, inside sources are saying Griffin, who had a down year last year to say the least, has no desire to restructure his contract and stay with the Vikes. A restructure would be absolutely necessary to keep Griffin who isn’t remotely worth the $4.1 million he is owed for 2012 under his current deal. The situation would be simple enough to solve if only that whole Chris Cook thing weren’t hanging over the team’s head. They don’t want to just cut Griffin because what if Cook goes to jail? Then they’ll be looking for two starting cornerbacks instead of one.

Signing a top-notch corner won’t be easy anyway, with guys like Cortland Finnegan and Brandon Carr figuring to be hot commodities. Could the Vikings end up with Cedric Griffin and some bargain bin cornerback or green rookie starting in 2012? That would be disappointing.

The other news byte is on Erin Henderson. It seems a bit of a market may be materializing for the outside linebacker, creating a greater sense of urgency for the Vikings to lock him up before free agency begins next Tuesday. Pelissero says progress is being made toward signing Henderson to a two- or three-year deal but that a deal is not yet “imminent.” The guess is that the contract would be for around 3 million per year. It’ll be interesting to see if Erin takes this offer or gambles by hitting the market.

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