His leadership is vital
When Everson Griffen had to miss a handful of games in 2018 to focus on improving his mental health, the Vikings not only lost a starting defensive end, they also lost one of their locker room leaders.
Normally, Griffen is the guy who delivers the pre-game speech each week to his Minnesota teammates. But in his absence last year, Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins attempted to be the team’s new pre-game speech guy.
It went about as terribly as one could imagine.
Cousins’ speeches were better suited for a car insurance convention and not for pumping up his teammates. They barely provided enough motivation for someone to run through tissue paper, let alone a wall.
All jokes aside, Griffen’s absence was felt throughout the locker room in 2018 and there was a noticeable difference in the team’s demeanor last season with him being around for the entire year. He knows what it takes to get his teammates going and there’s a reason why he’s been a captain for Minnesota for multiple seasons.
If the Vikings are unable to figure out a way to bring Griffen back for 2020, they will be losing a lot more than just a veteran pass rusher.