Everson Griffen to Sign Extension This Morning
As the Vikings continue to lock up their core long-term, Everson Griffen will be signing a massive extension upon reporting to training camp. He is the first of 3 that are likely to be extended.
@"Kentis" said: Back Nine you say?! B)Love it. You know EG is talking shit while Rodgers grimaces in pain. Rodgers seems like he is trying to push him off so he can cry in peace.
Griff is the 8th highest paid 4-3 DE in NFL and here is how he ranked per season.
2016 he ranked 29th in tackles with 48. 11th in sacks with 8.
2015 he ranked 45th in tackles with 44 and 10th in sacks with 10.5 sacks.
2014 he ranked 9th in tackles with 57 and 4th in sacks with 12. This is a great year and worth the money... and I think these are the numbers that earned him the 42.5 million dollar contract. He has not matched this production so I can see how it could be interpreted that the Vikings did overpay... but as the far as the market goes now, they probably did not.
2013 he ranked 109 in tackles with 27 and 43rd in sacks with 5.5. Jared Allen was still here and Griff's play was limited.
@"Viking Bob" said: last time I checked Bradford qualifies as a veteran and a leader...
Not sure why Bradford got brought into it, but he isn't going to get an extension at this time. Teddy will get tolled and Bradford will most likely get franchised at best. Just the way it is from what it is looking like
@"Bezerker88" said: Griff is the 8th highest paid 4-3 DE in NFL and here is how he ranked per season.2016 he ranked 29th in tackles with 48. 11th in sacks with 8.
2015 he ranked 45th in tackles with 44 and 10th in sacks with 10.5 sacks.
2014 he ranked 9th in tackles with 57 and 4th in sacks with 12. This is a great year and worth the money... and I think these are the numbers that earned him the 42.5 million dollar contract. He has not matched this production so I can see how it could be interpreted that the Vikings did overpay... but as the far as the market goes now, they probably did not.
2013 he ranked 109 in tackles with 27 and 43rd in sacks with 5.5. Jared Allen was still here and Griff's play was limited.
Well... I just read an article yesterday that said Griffen has the 5th most sacks in the NFL since he became a starter in 2014 (30.5 sacks).
I'm not a huge fan of committing myself to a 29 year old player through 2022... but if it allows us to re-sign Hunter, Waynes, Diggs, and Barr in the next two seasons I'm fine with it.
Everson is a very good player and made a bunch of fans eat crow that didn't like the deal he signed a couple years ago... 5th most sacks since 2014... 2 Pro Bowls... Team leader... he deserves to finish out his career here like Brian Robison.
I keep coming back to this: two days ago, someone tells you we're are about to extend someone on the team, making him the third highest player at his position, and that player isn't Rhodes... Would you have guessed it was Griffen?
I wouldn't have...honestly not sure who I would have guessed... Maybe Rudy...maybe Linval...this one still shocks me a bit...lot of thread left on those tires for sure...but if he had walked two years from now...I would have probably said better than keeping him passed his sell by date...
@"Wetlander" said: Everson is a very good player and made a bunch of fans eat crow that didn't like the deal he signed a couple years ago... 5th most sacks since 2014... 2 Pro Bowls... Team leader... he deserves to finish out his career here like Brian Robison.No question he outperformed that contract...none...he definitely is a tone setter...but, top 3 seems a bit rich IMO...
@"Wetlander" said: Everson is a very good player and made a bunch of fans eat crow that didn't like the deal he signed a couple years ago... 5th most sacks since 2014... 2 Pro Bowls... Team leader... he deserves to finish out his career here like Brian Robison.
I agree. I also think that Griffen is the type of player that feels he has to prove his contract to Zimmer and the team. I think this will just motivate him that much more
@"BarrNone55" said:He earned his money that first year of his contract in 2014 with his 12 sacks and 50+ tackles. He has not matched those numbers since, so I think there is some room for questions. The guy he replaced (so kinda my measuring stick) never had less than double digit sacks or 45 tackles in a year while being paid Big Money. Maybe Allen set the bar too high for me as what to expect from DE with a large contract.@"Wetlander" said: Everson is a very good player and made a bunch of fans eat crow that didn't like the deal he signed a couple years ago... 5th most sacks since 2014... 2 Pro Bowls... Team leader... he deserves to finish out his career here like Brian Robison. No question he outperformed that contract...none...he definitely is a tone setter...but, top 3 seems a bit rich IMO...Allen stats.
2008 - 54 tackles, 14.5 sacks
2009 - 51 tackles, 14.5 sacks
2010 - 60 tackles, 11 sacks
2011 - 66 tackles, 22 sacks
2012 - 45 tackles, 12 sacks
2013 - 52 tackles, 11.5 sacks.Those are consistent top money numbers. Griff produced those types of numbers in 2014, but not since.... and the Vikings respond by locking him up for more money.
I like Griff, love his passion for the game(which sometimes causes jumps offside at the worst times) his play is solid but I think it's fair for fans to expect more than 48 tackles and 8 sacks if the salary is top 5 at the position.
I could have sworn he disappeared for games on end last year. But then again, seasons become blurs in hindsight.
He's a good player, an important piece on the D. At times he's just dominating and I still shake my head at the play against Russell Wilson lol!
And as Wet points out, if this contract allows the Vikings to keep other important, young D pieces?
Well, giddy-up then...
@Bezerker88 fair points...I think there's more to it...hurries, hits, pressures etc...how he is in the position room...also the D Allen played in was pretty different than what Zim runs...Allen had way for freedom...bottom line its a head scratcher for me to think he's top 3 dollar wise...
I don't think you can compare the different defensive systems and expect the individual numbers to bear out. It is more based on how he performs in the system he is in. How many times have we heard that in Zimmer's defense you won't see large sack numbers? I know it was said a lot in 2014 and 2015. Given that, is he performing the role that Zimmer needs him to in order for the Defense to thrive as it has? If the answer is yes, then you pay to keep that piece in place. Screwing the guy over by paying him less to do what he is supposed to do because you measure him up against numbers that don't relate to the style of defense wouldn't be a good idea in terms of keeping our playmakers happy.
It would be like not paying a shutdown corner because he didn't get a ton of interceptions when the reality is that QB's decided not to throw his way because he blanketed the receiver so well.
Good discussion/debate,
I agree that the numbers seem high and I am surprised that we even extended Griff beyond the 2 years remaining.
This is one of many examples, as a die-hard fan, that we have to have faith in our decision-makers. Well, I guess we don't "have to" but I am :). Zimmer loves his rotations along the Dline and the production numbers will not reflect the scheme. Zimmer turned around the defense from old and very mediocre to Top 5 in about 2 years. If we stay in that Top 5 area while Griff is our starting LDE then it is a great move that will allow us to build around him as a keystone.
This has been a really strange offseason for me. The draft/free agency and now this signing were not like I expected.
@"Mike Olson" said: I don't think you can compare the different defensive systems and expect the individual numbers to bear out. It is more based on how he performs in the system he is in. How many times have we heard that in Zimmer's defense you won't see large sack numbers? I know it was said a lot in 2014 and 2015. Given that, is he performing the role that Zimmer needs him to in order for the Defense to thrive as it has? If the answer is yes, then you pay to keep that piece in place. Screwing the guy over by paying him less to do what he is supposed to do because you measure him up against numbers that don't relate to the style of defense wouldn't be a good idea in terms of keeping our playmakers happy.It would be like not paying a shutdown corner because he didn't get a ton of interceptions when the reality is that QB's decided not to throw his way because he blanketed the receiver so well.
The fact that he ranks up there in sacks is like gravy on this IMO. His motor, his tenacity rival that of Allen. But he brings SOOO much more than the pass rush. Unlike Allen, EG is a beast in the run game. Watch him reverse direction and track down a swing pass to a shifty running back and take him down for a loss. The play against Russell? Not many LBs make that play, let alone a DE.
He buys into Zim's system totally. Watch a Zimmer PC and then watch EG get interviewed. EG pretty much parrots what Zim sez. And so he does his job, and does it well in the system. Stats? Who needs them? He is a key cog in that D.
His contract isnt much more than what Jared Allen signed for when you add in inflation
In 2019, when this contract actually kicks in, what are the chances it will be top 5 money for a DE? In 5 years, will it be top 10? I'm guessing that by the 1/2 way point of this new extension, we'll be looking at it as a very reasonable contract.
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