Detroit Lions: 4 pass rushers to consider acquiring
By Bob Heyrman
Everson Griffen
It seemed that Everson Griffen, who Matthew Stafford and the Detroit Lions got to know far too often over the years, was expected to re-sign with the Minnesota Vikings, but that has yet to happen. Perhaps a fresh start is in the near future for the 32-year old defensive end.
Sometimes players elect to stay within the division they are familiar with for multiple reasons. For instance, a defensive end usually knows every tackle in their division very well, their techniques, strengths, and weakness from facing them two or three (in playoffs) times per season.
Griffen at 32, has seen plenty of NFC North tackles over his ten year Minnesota Vikings career. Last season proved that Griffen still has juice left in his pass rush as he recorded nine sacks and totaled 41 tackles.
Pro Football Focus awarded the defensive end with a respectable 77.6 overall mark and a pass rush grade that nearly mirrored that grade. It’s no secret that the Detroit Lions need to generate more of a pass-rush this season and why not bring in a veteran that could be hungry and eager to prove to his former team that also plays in the division they cut ties with him far too soon? It’s a similar situation to when Mike Daniels joined the Detroit Lions last season departing from the Green Bay Packers; it just didn’t work out for Daniels in Detroit.
The 77.6 grade from PFF mark was the second-best overall grade he had received in his career; his best coming two seasons ago after completing a career-high 12 sacks on the season earning a stellar 86.5 grade.
Griffen is a player that likes to play with his hand in the dirt on the end of the line of scrimmage. He’d serve as an upgrade to Romeo Okwara and Da’Shawn Hand. It will also allow the Lions to slide Hand inside alongside tackle Danny Shelton on early downs creating a stout four-man front, with Julian Okwara and Jamie Collins lurking on each edge.
A motivated Everson Griffen is someone the Detroit Lions need to strongly consider signing.