What could prevent Everson Griffen from returning to the Vikings?

The veteran pass rusher is a free agent this year and there is a chance that he might choose to sign with someone other than the Minnesota Vikings.

What would the defense look like for the Minnesota Vikings without Everson Griffen? Well, the Vikings might get to find out in 2020 as Griffen is set to become a free agent when the new league year begins next week on March 18.

Griffen has spent all of his 10 seasons in the NFL with the Vikings. After beginning his time in Minnesota as a reserve, he has emerged into one of the best defensive ends to ever put on a purple and gold jersey.

Griffen is a free agent this year and he’s likely going to have interest from several other teams around the league. He’s said in the past that he wants to return to the Vikings and the team has stated that they expect him back for 2020, but there is still the outside chance that he might sign with someone else this year.

What are some of the things that might cause Griffen to join a new team this offseason and not re-sign with Minnesota?

For starters, everything usually comes down to money. With the Vikings’ current salary cap situation being in terrible shape, they’re likely not going to be able to offer Griffen as much as he might be looking for in a new contract.

The defensive end might be more comfortable and familiar in Minnesota. But if he feels like he’s worth more than what the Vikings are offering, he could choose to sign with a team that can provide him with the amount of money he’s looking for.

Griffen might also want to join a team that he feels could be closer to winning a championship than Minnesota. As much as he probably wants to help the Vikings win their first-ever Super Bowl, he’s also aware that there are a few teams around the NFL who will probably have a better shot at a championship in 2020.

At this point in his career, the desire to win is likely going to be a top priority for Griffen when he’s deciding where to play next season. If he has the opportunity to join a team like the Baltimore Ravens, Kansas City Chiefs, or San Francisco 49ers, it’s going to be hard for him to return to Minnesota.

One final thing that may cause Griffen to sign with a new team this year would be the amount of playing time the Vikings would be willing to offer. Minnesota is in the middle transitioning to a bit of a younger roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball, and they might want to convert Griffen into more of a situational pass-rusher next season.

If the veteran defensive end isn’t willing to give up a good chunk of his snaps, then he might look to go to a team that can offer him more of a full-time role in 2020.

Yes, just about every sign is pointing to Griffen re-signing with the Vikings this year. But with these other multiple factors considered, him returning to Minnesota for next season is still far from a guarantee.