It wasn’t long ago that Shaquill Griffin was one of the more coveted corners in the NFL.
After the Seattle Seahawks drafted Griffin in 2017, the third-rounder entered 2021 as one of the better available free agent defensive backs. His time with the late-stage Legion of Boom had seen Griffin blossom into an every-down starter for the Seahawks and he was even selected as a Pro Bowler in 2019. Griffin’s career high three interceptions during the 2020 campaign set him up nicely to cash in on the open market and it didn’t take much time at all.
The then 25-year-old corner signed a three-year, $45 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars to kickoff 2021 free agency. His contract was part of a concerted effort by new coach Urban Meyer to turn the team around with rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence and it would also signal his first time as a featured corner.
Unfortunately, Griffin’s tenure was nearly as rocky as the coach that coveted him.
Griffin started 14 games in 2021 but saw career lows in tackles, passes defended, and interceptions. His follow-up campaign in 2022 under new head coach Doug Pederson was then marred by injuries, with Griffin only playing in five games this past season. He was ultimately cut by the Jaguars as a cap casualty.
CB Shaq Griffin was a much better player in Seattle than he was in Jacksonville and DeMeco Ryans' scheme should play towards some of the strengths that earned him the big contract with the Jags.
Hopefully it's a rebound season in Houston. Nice depth behind Nelson #WeAreTexans
— John Crumpler (@JohnHCrumpler) May 13, 2023
Now, right back where he started in a position where Griffin needs to prove himself, he saw the new look Houston Texans and the new staff under DeMeco Ryans as a great place to re-write his script.
“Some other teams that kind of showed interest, definitely it was Minnesota,” Griffin told the media in reference to how he chose Houston over other potential suitors. “I talked to Jacksonville again, talked to Washington, talked to a couple other teams, but the only visit I really took was here to Houston, and then once I got here, I felt the energy.
“Kind of felt like I was going to be at home here. I love the system they were already running, I was already familiar with the system that they had. So, I kind of based my decision off something that I knew I would be able to get in and start and move fast right away.”
Griffin’s choice of Houston is not insignificant. Minnesota and Jacksonville are considered high-end playoff contenders in their respective conferences entering the 2023 season. Washington lacks the perimeter corner talent that the Texans currently have between second-year corner Derek Stingley and veteran Steven Nelson.
He’s not the first veteran to highlight the excitement of the Texans’ new system under Ryans. Ryans piloted the league’s best defense in San Francisco last season, winning AP Assistant Coach of the Year, and his corners were some of the major beneficiaries under the scheme. Under Ryans, Griffin will be allowed to be more physical and the scheme should highlight the strengths that made him a Pro Bowl caliber player previously in Seattle.
In San Francisco, Ryans ran predominantly Cover 3, the same coverage scheme Griffin excelled under in Seattle, and blended it with Cover 6 concepts made popular by Vic Fangio to create one of the league’s most difficult defensive systems to prepare for. That unique twist, while still being very familiar to the Seattle defense, is something Griffin has quickly come to enjoy since arriving in Houston.
“I feel like the change-up excites me the most,” Griffin said. “I feel like we’ve got a lot of stuff in our bag to be able to change things up, especially to be able to adapt to any situation. But, number one would be, being in Seattle, I’m definitely familiar with that whole process on how they run their system. So, that kind of makes a lot of things in adjusting really easy for me. So, I love that part.”
DB Shaq Griffin likes what he’s seen from a “hungry” #Texans secondary thus far pic.twitter.com/Ln0oP3Jl78
— Shaun Bijani (@ShaunBijani) June 14, 2023
The defensive secondary will be one of the strengths of the 2023 Texans. Griffin’s presence alongside Stingley, Nelson and great slot corners like Desmond King and Tavierre Thomas should allow for phenomenal creativity in the secondary. Safeties Jalen Pitre and Jimmie Ward will be scheme interchangeable and can likely make the picture even more difficult for offenses.
Griffin will look to compete for the starting job opposite Stingley and can provide key depth during the season at a position group that struggled to stay healthy during the 2022 campaign. A return to Pro Bowl caliber play could spark a defensive resurgence under Ryans much faster than is expected nationally.
