The Dallas Cowboys have done a fabulous job revamping their defense in the offseason. During free agency, they added veterans Gerald McCoy, Dontari Poe, and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix to upgrade the defensive tackle and safety positions. In last week’s NFL draft, the Cowboys loaded up even more bullets in the chamber by stealing corners Trevon Diggs in the second round and Reggie Robinson in the fourth. Also, they selected Neville Gallimore to further bolster the interior defensive line and snagged Bradlee Anae for edge rush help.
That should be enough defensive improvements for the 2020 season right? Perhaps so, however, the Cowboys can put a ribbon on the transformation of their defense by adding veteran Everson Griffen.
Griffen has been one of the better defensive ends in the NFL since he entered the league in 2010. Over his first 10 seasons, he’s amassed 74.5 sacks. The best stretch of his career came from 2014-2017 when he earned three Pro Bowl selections and was selected as a second-team All-Pro. In 2019, he added a fourth Pro Bowl to his resume after producing eight sacks, 11 tackles for loss, 24 quarterback hits, and 66 pressures (15th in the NFL).
Watch “Everson Griffen 2019 Season Highlights | Minnesota Vikings” on YouTube
The Cowboys are still waiting for the reinstatement of Randy Gregory and Aldon Smith, and while both seem very likely, they can’t bank on just that going into the new season. Coming off of the right edge, Griffen would more than likely give the Cowboys their starting defensive end opposite DeMarcus Lawrence in 2020 after losing last season’s sack leader Robert Quinn to the Chicago Bears in free agency.
Currently, the Cowboys have about 10.5 million in cap space according to the Over the Cap. Griffen won’t demand a salary that’s too high after a decade of service in the league so from a financial standpoint the Cowboys could make it work.
Even at 32, Griffen is still productive and would instantly add even more firepower to an already overhauled defensive front in Dallas. The Cowboys have aced this offseason so far, but adding Griffen would take it into another orbit.
