Vikings’ Former Pro Bowl Defender Returns To NFC Rival Where He Began

Shaquill Griffin is heading back to the Emerald City.

The former Minnesota Vikings defensive back agreed to a one-year deal with the Seattle Seahawks worth $3 million — up to $4 million with incentives, a source told ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Wednesday. and just like that, he’s back to where he spent the first four years of his NFL journey.

This isn’t just a feel-good reunion. It’s a move that makes real football sense.

Griffin turns 30 next month and isn’t the Pro Bowl version of himself from 2019. But he’s still a steady, smart, dependable player — the kind of guy who’s not going to win you games, but won’t lose them either. And for a Seahawks defense that’s getting younger, especially on the back end, bringing in someone who knows the system and the building is more valuable than it looks on paper.

Griffin Appeared In All 17 Games For Vikings

Originally a third-round pick by Seattle back in 2017. He quickly became a starter, made a Pro Bowl in year three, and then cashed in with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2021. That deal didn’t pan out — injuries and scheme fit got in the way — and since then he’s bounced around, and respectively landed with the Vikings last offseason.

He was with the Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers in 2023 before landing in Minnesota, where he actually played all 17 games and had two picks.

So he’s not done. He’s not elite, but he’s not cooked either.

Where He Fits With Seahawks

Seattle brought him in for a visit earlier this offseason and stayed in touch even after the draft. That alone told you they weren’t completely sold on their depth at corner. With Tre Brown gone, and young guys like Coby Bryant, Riq Woolen, and Josh Jobe still finding their footing, Griffin brings something the group didn’t really have. Experience.

He’s just a locker room guy. He can still play. He may not be your CB1, but as a rotational outside corner or someone who can hold down a role when injuries hit — which they always do — Griffin can give you quality snaps without panicking.

Also worth noting: this isn’t the old Seahawks defense. Mike Macdonald is in now, and while he brings a fresh scheme and energy, he’s also going to need veterans who can help translate that on the field. Griffin, even after some time away, knows how things work in Seattle. He’s seen high expectations. He’s coming off big games with the Vikings. You can’t fake that stuff.

And for $3 million? That’s solid value.

This is a low-risk move that checks a bunch of boxes. Veteran depth? Check. Familiarity with the team? Check. Still serviceable on the field? Check. The Seahawks didn’t need to swing big here — they just needed to add a little more certainty to a young position group. And they did that.

It’s not a headline-grabber. But it’s the kind of move that helps you survive October and November when your roster starts thinning out.

The former Vikings DB returns to his original NFC team, and for Seattle, it’s a move that makes a lot of sense.