Dallas Cowboys upgrade defensive line with top pass rusher Everson Griffen
Just hours after Dallas Cowboys team vice president Stephen Jones said “we really got the job done” in free agency Wednesday, the team apparently wasn’t done getting the job done.
The team came to terms with free agent defensive end Everson Griffen, sources said after an NFL Network report.
The one-year deal is worth $6 million, including $3 million in base salary and $3 million in roster bonuses.
Griffen, one of the top players left in free agency, had been on the Cowboys’ radar for much of the offseason but they renewed their interest in earnest earlier this week.
Griffen must pass three COVID-19 tests before being allowed in the building. The Cowboys, who are finishing the conditioning stage of pre-training camp and will begin full practice on Friday, plan to ease him into workouts.
But Griffen is another veteran upgrade to the Cowboys’ defensive line that lost 2019 top rusher Robert Quinn and his 11.5 sacks to the Chicago Bears in free agency.
Griffen had 74.5 sacks in 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, including eight in 2019. And the Cowboys have some familiarity with him as senior defensive assistant George Edwards is the former Vikings defensive coordinator.
The Cowboys had already added defensive tackles Dontari Poe and Gerald McCoy and defensive end Aldon Smith in free agency.
Griffen will likely play right end opposite two-time Pro Bowler DeMarcus Lawrence at left end. They now have Poe and McCoy in the middle of the defense to go with holdover Antwaun Woods at tackle. Griffen will rotate at end with Lawrence, Smith and now a healthy Tyrone Crawford, who missed much of last season with surgeries on both hips.
The Cowboys are deep, talented and as experienced as they’ve been in years up front.
This story was originally published August 12, 2020 at 9:26 PM.
