Everson Griffen could be on Arizona Cardinals wish list

The four-time Pro Bowl defensive end would be a fantastic addition to a rapidly improving Arizona Cardinals defensive unit

Over the past two months, the Arizona Cardinals front office has made fixing the team’s defense a priority. A few savvy free agent signings, coupled with the acquisition of linebacker Isaiah Simmons during last month’s NFL Draft, have improved the unit dramatically. Don’t look now, but the Cards may be looking to add even more talent to the defensive side of the ball.

Rumors are circulating that Arizona is showing interest in bringing four-time Pro Bowler Everson Griffen to the desert. The longtime Minnesota Vikings defender would be a tremendous addition to a group that finished 32nd in the league in yards given up last season. Fans should certainly be intrigued by the reports that are linking Griffen with the Cardinals, but is there any truth to the scuttlebutt?

Financially, a union between the Cards and Griffen does not appear to be feasible. According to Spotrac.com, Arizona has less than $7 million in salary-cap space to work with at the present time. Most of that cash will presumably be used on the squad’s 2020 rookie class.

However, there are ways that the Cardinals could create room under the cap. Releasing players (Haason Reddick comes to mind) is always an option to consider. Extensions for certain members of the roster (Kenyan Drake, Patrick Peterson, DeAndre Hopkins) could also help management to free up some money.

While it may take some juggling of the finances to land him, Griffen’s track record indicates that he’d be worth the trouble. The 32-year old is coming off a campaign in which he recorded 41 tackles, eight sacks and an outstanding 24 quarterback hits for the Vikings. In 10 pro seasons, Griffen has racked up 355 tackles, 74.5 sacks and 176 quarterback hits in 147 appearances (88 starts).

It goes without saying that the Cards would welcome Griffen with open arms. There’s also a possibility that the Avondale, Arizona native may want to return to his home state to continue his football career. Here’s hoping that Cardinals general manager Steve Keim can find a way to bring the two parties together.