Is Everson Griffen returning to the Vikings still a possibility?

Recently, Everson Griffen took to his Instagram account to announce he was ending any negotiations to return to the Minnesota Vikings this year.

It was a bit of a shock since most assumed Griffen would just re-sign with the Vikings this offseason. But he clearly felt it was necessary for him to pursue other opportunities around the league and end his tenure in the Twin Cities

However, Griffen still hasn’t landed with a new team since then and he might soon realize that his best opportunity to continue his NFL career could be back in Minnesota.

Could Everson Griffen still return to the Minnesota Vikings?

Of the teams that were believed to have some interest in signing the free-agent defensive end, some of them recently decided to sign other pass rushers.

The Cleveland Browns signed defensive end Adrian Clayborn last week and the Seattle Seahawks ended up adding free-agent pass rusher Benson Mayowa to their roster last week as well. Both teams were said to have an interest in potentially signing Griffen this year.

It’s possible that the Browns and Seahawks could still be looking to add the former Vikings defensive end to their 2020 roster. But their signings last week seem to indicate the chances of this happening aren’t as high as they were at the start of the offseason.

If Griffen is holding out for an offer from someone that is closer to what he believes he’s worth, then he might be waiting much longer. Despite earning his fourth-career trip to the Pro Bowl last season, the market for a 32-year-old defensive end who has only had one double-digit sack campaign in his last four years isn’t that high.

At this point, it would best for Griffen to just return to Minnesota for 2020. He’s spent his entire career with the Vikings, he’s made Minnesota his home, and every player in the team’s locker room has an incredible amount of respect for him.

Perhaps Griffen should give a call to his old friend Brian Robison in the near future. Robison was in a similar situation a few years ago and he ended up taking less money and a decrease in playing time in order to help Danielle Hunter transition into a starting defensive end.

Minnesota could be looking to do the same thing with Griffen and Ifeadi Odenigbo this year. Some pride might have to be swallowed in order for this to happen, but Griffen appears to be running out of options if he’s going to continue playing in the NFL next season.