Reunion: Shaquill Griffin, Seahawks Agree to Terms on One-Year Deal

After beginning his career with the Seattle Seahawks, Shaquill Griffin will return to the Pacific Northwest for a second stint. Credit: Shaquill Griffin/Instagram

Following months of speculation linking the team and player, including a free agency visit back in April, veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin will be coming back to his original stomping grounds with the Seattle Seahawks.

As confirmed by his agent and originally reported by NFL Network insider Mike Garafolo, the Seahawks have agreed to terms with Griffin on a one-year, $3 million contract that could be worth up to $4 million with incentives. Full financial details, including guaranteed money, have yet to be disclosed.

Back in 2017, the Seahawks used a third round pick to select Griffin, tabbing him as a new running mate for All-Pro cornerback Richard Sherman in the secondary. When Sherman went down with a torn Achilles tendon midway through the season, those plans shifted towards the ex-UCF star becoming the new face of the cornerback group, and he took over as the No. 1 corner in 2018, intercepting a pair of passes and adding six passes defensed that season.

Taking the next step forward in his development, despite finishing without a single interception, Griffin garnered Pro Bowl honors in 2019 with 65 tackles and 13 pass breakups. He wrapped up his initial stint in Seattle starting 12 games during the 2020 campaign, setting a new career-high with three interceptions and tallying nine pass breakups, positioning himself for big bucks on the free agent market.

Though the Seahawks attempted to re-sign Griffin, he wound up returning to his home state of Florida and signed a three-year deal with the Jaguars. Injuries hindered his production in two seasons with Jacksonville, limiting him to just 19 games with no interceptions and 11 pass breakups. He was released after the 2022 season, spending time with the Panthers and Texans in 2023 before joining the Vikings as a reserve cornerback last season.

Set to turn 30 years old in July, Griffin now has eight years under his belt and his career appeared to be at a crossroads after struggling in Carolina and Houston, but he bounced back nicely as a nickel/dime cornerback for Minnesota in 2024. Suiting up in all 17 games with a trio of starts, he registered 41 tackles, two interceptions, and four pass breakups, surrendering a 76.2 passer rating in coverage that stands as the second-best of his career to this point.

Officially returning to Seattle, based on his strong contract for a mid-June signing, Griffin should have an excellent opportunity to earn significant playing time competing against Josh Jobe, Shemar Jean-Charles, and Nehemiah Pritchett for the third cornerback role behind starters Riq Woolen and Devon Witherspoon. From that group, Jobe played well in 10 games after coming over from Philadelphia last season and presents the toughest contestant for him to beat out this summer, while Jean-Charles had a stellar offseason program and could be a wild card to watch.

Even if Griffin doesn’t secure the third cornerback job, at worst, the Seahawks bolstered competition in a position group that lost a few notable veterans in Tre Brown and Artie Burns in free agency. At minimum, his presence on the roster provides a quality insurance policy for coach Mike Macdonald and defensive coordinator Aden Durde, and if he can build off his bounce-back season with the Vikings, the potential remains for him to arrive as an upgrade over Jobe in a talented, deep secondary that already stacks up well against the rest of the NFC.