The Minnesota Vikings and Everson Griffen divorced before the 2020 season after ten years of mostly happy marriage. Everson wasn’t happy about leaving, however, and displayed his frustration throughout the season while playing for Dallas and Detroit.
But as soon as the postseason fell out of reach for Griffen in Detroit and the Vikings back home in Minnesota, Everson’s consternation toward his old team quickly washed away.
Offseason Everson Tweets
On January 3, Griffen started retweeting a bunch of accounts calling for his return to Minnesota. I counted 40-ish total, just that day. To be fair, there were some cat calls from Lions fans that he also retweeted.
But then on January 4, Everson tweeted for himself.
Check tape homie!!!! ???? https://t.co/JGR3zzv2ef
— Everson Griffen (@EversonGriffen) January 4, 2021
The next day was full of more ‘Everson Griffen come back to Minnesota’ retweets, including one by Chris Tomasson that I found interesting. And then later that same day… Ev tweeted for himself again.
The tweet? “If you want it, go get it!!!” with a picture of him shaking Mike Zimmer’s hand.
If you want it, go get it!!!!! pic.twitter.com/oQKjGsWTHj
— Everson Griffen (@EversonGriffen) January 5, 2021
Stanning for Kirk Cousins today
In his latest push for a return, Griffen took back to Twitter today where he’s been stanning for Kirk Cousins.
When it comes to Kirk, arguments can spontaneously combust between Vikings fans on Twitter at any time. Well, that’s exactly what happened in one of Griffen’s threads today and, shocker, Ev is a big Kirk Cousins guy.
Top 5 in almost everything!!!! In the #NFL https://t.co/UfW2897Wvp
— Everson Griffen (@EversonGriffen) January 7, 2021
Vikings are desperate on DL
Normally, I’d be bored with the return of a former Viking who was beyond the best years of his career. But Mike Zimmer’s current situation on the defensive line is anything but normal. ‘Terrible’ would be a much better word.
Rick Spielman can’t afford to enter free agency in need of a high-priced defensive end. The cap space isn’t there, even in Rob Brzezinski’s mythical salary cap world.
Rick and Mike will spend plenty of April draft capital on the front-seven but spending every single Vikings pick on the DL wouldn’t make me comfortable with our 2021 pass rush.
Perfect Fit
Everson Griffen is a well-known, perfect-fit option, who isn’t going to ask the Minnesota Vikings to pay more than everyone else to come here. He’s the perfect budget option for this team.
Adding Griffen would immediately stabilize the defensive line. The Vikings could then go DT or DE with their first round draft pick and hopefully stop the panic over their front-4, with Barr and Hunter also returning.
Everson Griffen back to the #Vikings makes too much sense. Idk if it's even possible but they should just sign him right now.
— Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) January 7, 2021
Everson Griffen would also provide a voice in the locker room that the Vikings lacked when he and the rest of the old defense were jettisoned last offseason.
Teams can start negotiating with free agents on March 15 (legal tampering period) and they can officially sign on March 17.
Eric Strack | Minnesota Vikings