Bleacher Report thinks Shaquill Griffin could disappoint in 2021
Newly acquired Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Shaquill Griffin was very solid for Seattle throughout the first four years of his career. But Jacksonville will ask him to be a lot more than solid now. The franchise handed him a three-year, $40 million contract that places him just outside the top-10 highest-paid corners in the league.
Griffin, a former third-round pick, is coming off what was arguably the best season of his career in 2020. He finished with three interceptions (the most of his career) to go with 12 passes defended and 63 total tackles despite only appearing in 12 games.
But with the development of 2020 first-rounder C.J. Henderson still very much a question mark, the Jags will be relying on Griffin to lead the secondary. And Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox is concerned he may not be up to the task. On his list of the players on each team most likely to disappoint, Griffin was the candidate in Jacksonville.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have their new quarterback of the future in No. 1 overall pick Trevor Lawrence. However, Lawrence is going to do little to help improve a defense that ranked 27th against the pass, 31st overall and 31st in points allowed last season.
Jacksonville spent big on former Seattle Seahawks cornerback Shaquill Griffin to help improve the defense, but they probably won’t get their money’s worth.
Griffin landed a lucrative three-year, $40 million deal from the Jaguars in free agency this offseason. That’s a lot of money for a player who has been merely average in his pro career.
While Griffin does bring plenty of experience to the proverbial table—53 games in four seasons—and has one Pro Bowl on his resume, he hasn’t been an elite cover man. Over the past three seasons, he has allowed 15 touchdown receptions and has an opposing quarterback rating of 93.3 or higher in all three campaigns.
Griffin also had 24 missed tackles over the past three years, which isn’t going to help a run defense that ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed last season.
Jacksonville clearly needed a boost this offseason defensively, but given Griffin’s relatively meager production to this point in his career, it’s understandable why Knox isn’t sold. Though he’s paid like an above-average No. 1 cornerback, the goal is still for Henderson, who was selected with the ninth pick, to eventually fill that role.
But injuries limited him as a rookie, and the action he did see wasn’t overly impressive. The Jaguars badly needed another starting-caliber cornerback to supplement Henderson and hedge against any continued struggles. Griffin provides that, but he may not provide the quality you would usually associate with the type of deal he received.
