Cowboys trade defensive end Everson Griffen to Lions

Everson Griffen (Wikimedia Commons)

According to the Associated Press on Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys have traded defensive end Everson Griffen of Avondale, Arizona to the Detroit Lions for a conditional draft pick in the 2021 National Football League Draft. The draft pick could be as high as a fifth-round pick.

The Lions become Griffen’s third NFL team. In addition to seven games for the Cowboys this season, Griffen played 10 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings from 2010 to 2019.

This season for the Cowboys, Griffen played in seven games for Dallas, but did not start in any of them. He had 20 combined tackles (10 solo tackles and 10 assisted tackles), six quarterback hits, three tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and one pass deflection.

It should be noted that Griffen’s statistics in Dallas this season have been decent in a limited role. According to Michael Rothstein, two players who will benefit for the Cowboys by the fact that Griffen is now with the Lions are rookie Bradlee Anae and Randy Gregory.

It would appear that by trading Griffen, the Cowboys do not have a lot of confidence that they will be a playoff contender in 2020. However, it should be noted that Dallas is still in the thick of things even at two wins and five losses in the horrendous NFC East. They are only half a game back of the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles.

It was with the Vikings where Griffen had his greatest success. A four-time Pro Bowler in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019, he had 355 combined tackles with the Purple People Eaters, along with 74.5 sacks, nine forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and two touchdowns.

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