Everson

Griffen

Girffen has acknowledged struggling with his mental health in the past and will take a leave of absence to work on it again after he posted videos of himself acting erratically while holding a gun, reportedly calling 911 and telling responders that he had fired it inside his home. Griffen eventually left his home peacefully and no one was hurt.

Griffen is clearly battling some mental health issues and is now getting help that he needs. It’s hard to envision him playing again this season. The Vikings signed DE Tashawn Bower off the Patriots’ practice squad Wednesday.

Early Wednesday morning, Griffen posted a troubling video of him holding a gun and saying people were trying to kill him. He also posted screenshots of messages to his agent, Brian Murphy, asking for help and again saying people were there to hurt him. “Vikings representatives and the team’s mental health professionals have been on-site at Everson Griffen’s home since early this morning,” the statement says, “and are cooperating with law enforcement.” According to the Minnetrista Police Department, officers have been talking to Griffen since early Wednesday morning, but to this point, he has refused to exit his home. We hope this situation is quickly resolved and Griffen gets whatever help he needs.

Barr will miss another week with a knee injury he picked up in early August. Minnesota will also be without rotational DL Griffen and CB Hand as they face off against Kyler Murray and one of the NFL’s most lethal offenses. Arizona sports an implied total of 27.25 points in what should be a high-scoring affair in Week 2. The Vikings can’t stop Murray; they can’t even hope to contain him.

As was LBs Eric Kendricks (quad) and Anthony Barr (knee). It’s a disastrous time for any/all to be eyeing absences with Kyler Murray and the Cardinals’ four-wide offense on the opposite side in Week 2. Adam Thielen, Justin Jefferson, and K.J. Osborn would all be in store for an uptick in targets to keep up with Arizona if Minnesota’s defense can’t get healthy ahead of their final injury report.

After moving a handful of players to injured reserve, the Vikings had the necessary roster space to bring Griffen back. It’s safe to assume that his release was nothing more than a way to navigate the 53-player limit. At 33 years old, Griffen isn’t the dominant end he once was but he’ll still be able to improve a Minnesota pass-rush unit that Pro Football Focus graded as 32nd in the league last year. Griffen figures to see a healthy number of snaps on passing downs this year.

Griffen, 33, spent a decade with the Vikings before signing with Dallas in 2020. He was then traded to the Lions, who did not keep the veteran. He reunited with the Vikings a week ago and was fully expected to have a rotational role in one of the league’s worst defensive lines. It’s unclear whether there’s a market for Griffen.

After spending a decade in Minnesota, Griffen, 33, played for the Cowboys in 2020 before Dallas traded him to Detroit at mid-season. Griffen won’t be the dominant pass-rushing force he was in the first half of his career but he could be used as a rotational pass rusher for a Vikings team that struggled mightily to put pressure on the quarterback in 2020. Pro Football Focus graded Minnesota’s pass rush as the league’s worst by a wide margin last season. Griffen should be a boost for Mike Zimmer’s defense.

Griffin opened the 2020 season with the Cowboys but the loss of Dak Prescott put the team into a short-lived rebuild. With little hope of competing sans Prescott, they traded Griffin to Detroit after Week 7. Before 2020, Griffin had spent a decade as a Viking. At 33 years old, Griffin is no longer the dominant pass-rusher he once was. However, he remains a dependable option for generating pressure and taking down opposing quarterbacks. Griffin has tallied at least 5.5 sacks in 10 consecutive seasons. Minnesota’s defense ranked 28th in sacks last year and the team didn’t make any massive acquisitions to address that deficiency. Reuniting with Griffin would be an affordable way to give their defensive line a much-needed boost.

Griffen has been playing in the neighborhood of 25-50 snaps since arriving from Dallas, notching three sacks in five games. His loss comes the same day the Lions placed CB Jeffrey Okudah on injured reserve with a groin injury. An already easy matchup for Aaron Rodgers has become downright comical. Reportedly COVID-19 positive and not just a “close contact,” Griffen will also miss Week 15.