Will Everson Griffen be better or worse for the Vikings in 2019?

He’ll be kept fresh

The Vikings realize that Everson Griffen isn’t a spring chicken anymore. The guy is 31-years-old and while he can still play at a high level, his reps will need to be monitored to ensure the team is getting the most out of this wily pass rusher.

The one good thing that came out of Griffen’s time away last season was the emergence of Stephen Weatherly.

Weatherly came into his own and he was an especially strong run defender. He was able to provide the defense with an adequate pass rush opposite Danielle Hunter and the Vikings’ front line continued to be very formidable even without the great Everson Griffen lining up at right defensive end.

Minnesota could look to get Weatherly on the field more in 2019 and use their pass rushers on a rotational basis. This method would benefit Griffen as it would likely keep his aging legs nice and fresh.

He would have more stamina during the later portions of games which would allow him to take advantage of those big, beefy offensive linemen when they start to get fatigued late in matchups. Griffen would be much fresher and this could lead to some big-time sacks late in the fourth quarter when the game is on the line.