The Dallas Cowboys, the New York Giants, and the Washington Football Team all added defensive reinforcements this week, so let’s take a look at what these guys are up to, shall we?
Cowboys sign DE Everson Griffen
On Wednesday, the Cowboys agreed to a one-year deal with Griffen, reported for $ 6 million. Griffen will turn 33 in December. While at the disadvantage of his career, Griffen was still reasonably productive in 2019, as he had 41 tackles (11 for loss), eight sacks, and 24 QB hits in 15 games (all starting) with the Vikings, which was somehow good enough to to get him into the Pro Bowl.
The likely reason Griffen was still a free agent deep into the offseason is because teams have understandable concerns about his mental state. In fact, in an interview with Tom Pelissero’s Tom Pelissero of NFL Network, Griffen revealed that he allegedly lived in a sober house in 2018 while continuing his treatment after a laundry list of incidents, noted here:
What they know is largely based on what they read in a widely publicized police report of the 2018 incident: verbal outbursts in practice, prompting the Vikings to order Griffen to undergo a mental health evaluation; one encounter with police in a downtown hotel, another in Griffen’s home after he entered teammate Trae Waynes’ residence, shirtless and uninvited; an escape from an ambulance, before finally going to a hospital for evaluation. Griffen was not arrested and did not face any criminal charges.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that Griffen missed offers from the Vikings and Seahawks, but the Cowboys eventually brought their offer:
So, are the Cowboys a better team after this move?
There are two ways to answer that. Yes, the passing of the Cowboys is better today than it was yesterday morning. Griffen is probably an upgrade over who else would have started against DeMarcus Lawrence, or that now Aldon Smith is like one of her other younger players on the roster.
They are no better at the position than they were a year ago, however, when they still hired Robert Quinn, who was easily the Cowboys’ best passer in 2019. Quinn signed a five-year deal worth $ 70 million with the Bears free agency.
Also, $ 6 million is not unintentional money for a team that needs all the cap space it can get, on the condition that they may have to force their quarterback back in 2021.
The Cowboys’ defensive line is now very heavy on name recognition:
#Cowboys pass almost functions now:
Demarcus Lawrence
Everson Griffen
Gerald McCoy
Aldon Smith
Tyrone Crawford
Randy Gregory (as reset)A formidable bundle for the NFC East.
– Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 13, 2020
That would be an absolutely horrible group in 2015. In 2020 … meh.
The Washington Football Team has activated Reuben Foster from the PUP list
Six days ago, The Washington Football Team released Derrius Guice after he was arrested for multiple proven incidents of domestic violence. They were praised for continuing to change the “culture” of the organization. Two days later they activated Reuben Foster from the PUP list, lol.
In the 2018 season, the 49ers had enough of Foster after he was arrested for the third time in a calendar year. Less than three days after the third arrest, which was on charges of domestic violence, the Washington Football Team demanded his release.
In May of 2019, Foster tore his ACL, LCL and MCL, in addition to suffering from nerve damage that caused him to lose feelings in his foot for a substantial amount of time.
The immediate reaction to Foster’s return was focused on the post – composition of Guice’s release of the team, and their promotion of Foster. Perhaps lost in the discussion is whether Foster himself is good or not. He was certainly a stud linebacker in high school at Alabama, but in three seasons in the NFL he has no interceptions, no forced fumbles, no fumble-repairs, no sacks, and he has recovered from an injury that is much less is like just your run-of-the-mill ACL tears.
Edge rusher Markus Golden returns to the Giants
The signing of the Giants of the Golden in the offseasons of 2019 was one of the very rare positive moves that Dave Gettleman has made during his disastrous tenure with the Giants. Last season, Golden had 10 sacks and 27 QB hits, allowing the team to easily lead in both categories.
Earlier this offseason, the Giants placed the rarely used “May 5” bid on Gold, allowing him to continue negotiating with other teams, and if he signed elsewhere, the Giants would not receive direct compensation from the signing team, but Golden would still count for the compensatory voting formula. If he remained unsigned at the start of camp, Golden would return to the Giants at 110 percent of his salary for 2019, which would end up at a little north of $ 5 million.
No other teams bit, and so Golden is back in New Jersey for another season. That was actually played well by Gettleman. Before Golden returned, the followed would have been the Giants’ projected start of defensive front, with their sect totals from a year ago:
• EDGE: Lorenzo Carter: 4.5
• DE: Dexter Lawrence: 2.5
• NT: Dalvin Tomlinson: 3.5
• DE: Leonard Williams: 0.5
• EDGE: Oshane Ximines: 4.5
That, Golden’s return will definitely help.
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