After getting an early release from his three-year, $40M deal in Jacksonville, veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin will reportedly be signing a one-year deal with the Texans, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.
The deal has a reported maximum value of $4.5M and includes $3M of guarantees, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. After the Jaguars failed to find a trade partner for Griffin, they’ll face him twice this season as a division opponent.
Griffin signed with Jacksonville after finishing out his rookie contract in Seattle. He produced at a high level from the jump but really gained recognition in 2019 when he was voted to the Pro Bowl and ranked as the 10th best cornerback in the league, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).
He initially rewarded the Jaguars with another strong season, ranking as the 19th best cornerback in the NFL, according to PFF. In 2022, though, injuries tanked his season.
Already underperforming a bit through six weeks, Griffin’s season ended when he suffered a season-ending back injury. The Texans are hoping he will bounce back for a strong performance in 2023.
Griffin could slot in as another new starter for a new-look defense that is expected to field rookie defensive end Will Anderson, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, rookie linebacker Christian Harris, linebacker Denzel Perryman, and safety Jimmie Ward as starting newcomers. He’ll compete with Desmond King and Steven Nelson for starting snaps opposite Derek Stingley.
More must-reads: