For Griffin to sign with the Vikings, why would they voluntarily give up a top-100 pick?
The Vikings’ choice to sign veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin to a one-year, $4.55 million contract in late March is still perplexing more than a month later. Not because of anything to do with Griffin personally; he’s a reliable player who fits Brian Flores’ scheme and is probably going to start this season for Minnesota. The decision seemed to have cost the Vikings a third-round compensatory pick in the 2025 draft, thus it was a perplexing one.
Due to the Vikings losing Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter to free agency this year, the team was predicted to acquire two third-round comp selections (which are in the late 90s overall). That was the situation, anyway, until they signed Griffin. The Vikings, who lost six of their qualifying compensatory free agents (CFAs) in March, added him as their fifth addition. Thus, even though Griffin paid a lot less than Hunter did to sign with the Texans, his signing negated the pick the Vikings were supposed to get in exchange for Hunter’s departure.
Dalton Risner might have signed a qualifying deal with another team at that time, which would have put the Vikings back in the driver’s seat to earn a second compensatory pick. The time limit for something to occur has now passed. Furthermore, following a draft in which the Vikings traded up several times in the first round, giving up several of the picks for the following year in the process, their decision to sign Griffin appears even more strange. The Vikings currently own two fifth-round picks in the 2025 draft in addition to their first-round selection and the Cousins comp pick. That extra compensatory choice would have been very beneficial.
It’s difficult to see why the Vikings took the chance of losing such a significant draft pick as they did, unless they are aware of something we are not. Once more, Griffin is a reliable player who will benefit the 2024 Vikings, but this is not a club that has a chance to contend for a title this season. This seems to be a transitional season for the Vikings, whose over/under victory total is only 6.5 at most bookmakers, with Sam Darnold or youngster J.J. McCarthy at quarterback. Objectively speaking, a 29-year-old cornerback with a one-year contract is not nearly as valuable as a pick with a four-year rookie contract that falls between the 98th and 100th pick area.
Although the comp pick methodology is subject to change, OverTheCap’s Nick Korte, who closely monitors it, seldom makes a mistake. Furthermore, until someone like Josh Dobbs or Oli Udoh plays significantly more than projected for their new team—playing time is a factor in the formula—he doesn’t see how the Vikings can end up with the Hunter comp pick back. According to the 2020 CBA, Griffin would stay on the chart even if he were cut. It appears that the Vikings lost their wager on Risner joining with another team before to the draft. Why not hold off and see if Griffin might be available now? Maybe change course and sign a different corner after the draft? That was an odd choice then, and it remains an odd choice now.
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