So far this offseason, the Minnesota Vikings have made a number of changes to their roster, especially on the defensive side of the ball.
During the last several days, the Vikings have said goodbye to guys like Danielle Hunter and Jordan Hicks and added some exciting new defenders like pass rusher Jonathan Greenard and linebacker Blake Cashman.
On Tuesday, Minnesota added another new face to their defensive roster when they reportedly agreed to a contract with free-agent cornerback Shaquill Griffin, according to the Star Tribune's Ben Goessling.
Minnesota Vikings reportedly sign free-agent cornerback Shaquill Griffin
Cornerback is an area of their roster that the Vikings haven't done much with this offseason, so some assumed the team was likely going to wait until this year's NFL Draft to add a new player or two to the group.
But Minnesota clearly feels that Griffin can potentially help their secondary improve next season, and adding him is likely coming at an affordable price. He now joins a Vikings group of cornerbacks that also includes Byron Murphy, Mekhi Blackmon, Akayleb Evans, Andrew Booth Jr., and NaJee Thompson.
Griffin began his NFL career back in 2017 when the Seattle Seahawks selected him in the third round of that year's draft. He started 11 games as a rookie and quickly emerged as one of the Seahawks' top cornerbacks.
Griffin's best season as a pro took place in 2019 when he earned a trip to the Pro Bowl and finished with the 11th-best defensive grade from PFF among qualifying cornerbacks. Since then, it's not like he's performed terribly, but he's been more of just an average NFL corner during the last few years.
Last season, he split time between the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers. In a total of 13 appearances for both teams, he accumulated 39 tackles, five pass breakups, and one interception.
At the very least, Griffin adds depth to a position group that suffered tremendously last season when Murphy was sidelined for multiple games. Depending on how much Minnesota is paying Griffin, his addition also likely rules out the possibility of the team signing free-agent corners Xavien Howard or Stephon Gilmore this offseason.
However, his addition shouldn't prevent the Vikings from using one of their picks in this year's NFL Draft on a cornerback. With Murphy's contract set to expire in 2025, it would be wise for Minnesota to invest at least one of their 2024 draft selections in a new corner.