Vikings' Shaquill Griffin Addition Could Remove a 2025 Third-Round Comp Pick, Unless...

Did the Vikings knowingly cost themselves a third-round comp pick by signing Griffin?

Oct 15, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Texans cornerback Shaquill Griffin (0) reacts during the / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings signed veteran cornerback Shaquill Griffin to a one-year deal last week, bolstering a room that was in desperate need of an experienced corner who can play man-to-man on the boundary. The contract is worth $4.55 million, which means the Vikings are no longer in line for two third-round compensatory picks in the 2025 draft.

Prior to the Griffin signing, the Vikings were set to land a pair of third-round comp picks next year for losing Kirk Cousins and Danielle Hunter in free agency this offseason. Cousins and Hunter signed two of the biggest contracts of any free agents this year, so if the formula works out for the Vikings, they'll be in line to have a couple new borderline top-100 picks next year. The way it works is that every compensatory free agent (CFA) who signs with a team cancels out a CFA who leaves the team. Those are players who land new deals worth at least $3 million annually.

The Vikings have lost six CFAs this year, including Cousins and Hunter. Prior to signing Griffin, they had added four. Now that they've added five, they're only in line for one comp pick. But that could change.

https://overthecap.com/compensatory-picks

There's still one player out there who could sign for at least $3 million and get the Vikings' second comp pick back on the board: Dalton Risner. Minnesota's starting left guard for the second half of last season remains a free agent, and he's good enough to command at least $3 million — and probably more — on his next contract. If Risner meets that criteria and signs somewhere else prior to the draft, the Vikings will get the second comp pick back. If not, the Griffin addition is a bit of a curious one, even though his on-field fit for this season makes a lot of sense.

Perhaps the Vikings made this move believing Risner will sign somewhere else shortly. In that case, they'll need a new left guard. They could bring Risner back, but then they'd still be without the extra comp pick next year. So why take the risk? Griffin is a quality player, but the 2024 Vikings aren't in position to contend for a championship with Sam Darnold and a rookie at quarterback. A borderline top-100 2025 pick, playing on a rookie deal for four years, feels like a far more valuable asset, even if there's obviously a chance the Vikings whiff on that pick.

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