Cowboys trade Griffen to Lions, here’s the draft and financial impact

The Dallas Cowboys followed through on the first of what may be many changes to their roster over the next week as the trade deadline approaches. On Tuesday, the team agreed to send Everson Griffen to the Detroit Lions. The return is not yet determined, but as a conditional pick it could rise as high as a fifth-rounder in 2021.

Dallas signed Griffen as a late free agent this offseason after he worked his way out of his deal with Minnesota last season. Ironically, after a very slow start Griffen had begun to increase his statistical output, including a sack in Sunday’s loss to Washington. Griffen was second on the team with 2.5 sacks on the year.

On the Field Impact

This move of course opens the door for Randy Gregory to get more snaps. Gregory was activated for the first time since 2018 and recorded just six snaps on Sunday. The team also made rookie fifth-round pick Bradlee Anae inactive for that game, so jettisoning Griffen will open the door for him to regain some snaps as well.

Financial Impact

Griffen had signed a one-year deal worth up to $6 million in salary and game-day roster bonuses. The former Viking, 33, received no signing bonus but was to make $3 million in base salary in 2020, as well as another $3 million in game-day roster bonuses.

After seven games with Dallas, he still has 10 weeks of salary remaining and 8 of 9 games worth of roster bonuses remaining (Griffen played 15 games in 2019, so only 15 games of roster bonuses counted against the Cowboys’ cap). All of that will be removed from the Cowboys’ 2020 cap total

Dallas will save just over $1.76 million in base salary and another $1.5 million in roster bonuses, to clear $3.26 million off their 2020 cap. With the 2021 cap expected to drop precipitously from projected figures, to as low as $175 million, every penny counts, especially for a team that does not look to be competitive for a 2020 title.

Why The Deal

Dallas’ injuries on offense and dysfunction on defense are the reasons it may be time to move on from several players. On Monday, Cowboys Wire ran a feature outlining the draft pick hauls that could be reaped by moving several players and the list included Griffen. On Tuesday morning, owner Jerry Jones admitted the club would be looking into personnel changes after the dismal 2-5 start to the season.

Last week, an anonymous player discredited the maligned Cowboys coaching staff as not knowing what they were doing. Several players have complained about Mike Nolan’s scheme throughout the season and once the position coaches started being the subject of ire, it’s no surprise things are changing.

Griffen has been a top player in the league for years and was expected to boost the Cowboys’ defense, but that wasn’t the case. Known as a stout run defender and skilled pass rusher, Griffen was initially asked to play from a two-point stance in Dallas, something that didn’t suit him well.

Those efforts were ditched, and there had been some progress the last few weeks, but with the team being so bad, there was little point to watching the experiment play out.

Draft Pick Scene

Now, Dallas adds to their draft pick haul in 2021.

The club already had nine picks lined up, and that now moves to 10.

Dallas has their own pick in Rounds 1-4, as well as Round 6. The now add the Lions sixth-round pick, which could move to a fifth depending on how much Griffen plays.

In addition, Dallas is in line for four compensatory picks for losing Byron Jones (3rd), Robert Quinn (4th), Randall Cobb (5th) and Jason Witten (6th) in free agency last year.

The club traded their fifth-round pick last draft to move up and select center Tyler Biadasz in the fourth round. The seventh-round pick was traded to New England for Michael Bennett during last season.

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