NFL Trade Rumors: Cowboys have reportedly been shopping defensive end Everson Griffen

If you look back over the last few months, the highest point of optimism for Dallas Cowboys fans might have been when the team signed veteran pass rusher Everson Griffen shortly before the season started.

Sure people were excited about the drafting of CeeDee Lamb, but signing Griffen felt like Thanos collecting the final infinity stone. It seemed as if the Cowboys were making a concerted effort towards this season and that Griffen, who seemed like he could still get the job done, would make the pass rush that we all thought was already going to be solid even better. Seven games in, that assertion could not be more incorrect.

It is worth mentioning that Everson Griffen had a sack on Sunday in Washington, and he is second on the team with 2.5 this season, but he has largely been disappointing. Perhaps he would be performing better on a different team which could technically be a reality soon.

The Dallas Cowboys have reportedly been shopping Everson Griffen

Last week, the Minnesota Vikings waved the white flag on the season by trading away pass rusher Yannick Ngakoue to the Baltimore Ravens. This wouldn’t have been all too shocking if Minnesota hadn’t traded for Ngakoue on the final day in August.

Ngakoue is an example of a player and team not working in the way that they should have which is why the Vikings moved on, albeit in curious fashion. Everson Griffen was someone who the Vikings chose not to keep around which led to his availability when the Cowboys landed him, but it seems like Dallas might be ready to move on themselves. According to ESPN’s Todd Archer, the Cowboys have shopped Everson ahead of next week’s trade deadline.

Multiple sources said the Cowboys have shopped Griffen, who had a sack against Washington, but have not found any takers. Would the Cowboys be better served to keep playing Griffen, who is on a one-year deal that has $3 million in guarantees, or develop fifth-round pick Bradlee Anae, who was inactive for the first time with the return of Randy Gregory from suspension?

It would be quite an interesting statement if Dallas did move on from Griffen about halfway through the season, but perhaps they have seen enough. They did get Randy Gregory back on Sunday against Washington and would obviously like to see more from him with regards to the future, and as Archer notes it could behoove them to do that as well as play rookie Bradlee Anae more. Griffen is a bit of a progress-stopper in that capacity.

Any taker for Griffen would likely be someone challenging for a title this year the way that the Ravens are in their acquisition of Ngakoue. Considering that the Cowboys signed Griffen to a one-year deal it would be nice to get some sort of compensation for him, although they might net a compensatory pick for him in 2022 if he signs elsewhere next offseason. Obviously that is a bit far from now.

Update: 6:20pm ET

The report about the Cowboys shopping Everson Griffen originally came from ESPN. NFL Network corroborated that later on in the day.

While that is two separate reports of the Cowboys looking to move him there was also a report from ESPN that Everson does not believe the Cowboys want to trade him. Additionally, one of Josina Anderson’s source said that that the idea that they have been shopping him is false.

For what it’s worth Mike Fisher also chimed in that the Cowboys are in fact trying to trade Everson and that they are also looking to move both Dontari Poe and Daryl Worley.

The Cowboys signed all three of these players over the offseason and right before the season began.