What role will Everson Griffen have with the Vikings in 2021?

The Minnesota Vikings are expected to sign former defensive end Everson Griffen according to multiple reports on Monday.

After a year away from the Minnesota Vikings, Everson Griffen is expected to return to the place he called home for the first 10 seasons of his NFL career.

According to multiple reports on Monday, Griffen will sign a deal with the Vikings to suit up in purple and gold during the upcoming season.

It’s a reunion that the veteran defensive end has been hoping for and now he gets to re-join the franchise that helped him become one of the best pass rushers in team history.

Is Everson Griffen going to be a starter for the Minnesota Vikings?

Now that Griffen is expected to return to Minnesota, what will his role be for the team during the regular season? Is he going to be a starter or will he be used more as a pass-rushing specialist?

During his time with the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions last season, Griffen appeared in 14 games, but he was only a starter in two of these contests.

Despite his lack of starting time in 2020, the veteran pass rusher was still able to accumulate 23 pressures, 14 quarterback hits, and six sacks. These numbers look much more impressive once one realizes that Griffen was on the field for less than 30 percent of the Cowboys and Lions’ defensive snaps last season.

For the last few weeks, the Vikings have been attempting to figure out who is going to be the team’s other starting defensive end opposite Danielle Hunter this year. Stephen Weatherly and D.J. Wonnum have been battling for the role, but Minnesota is clearly not happy with how either of them have performed since they’re bringing back Griffen.

During the first few games of the season, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Vikings used a rotation of Griffen, Weatherly, and Wonnum at the defensive end spot opposite Hunter. Then after a few weeks, Minnesota might have a better idea about which of these three pass rushers should get the most time on the field.

Whatever Griffen is asked to do in 2021, at the very least, the Vikings are re-signing someone who can provide a great deal of leadership for a team that has the talent to be an NFC contender this season.