JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jaguars have locked up their two starting cornerbacks for at least the next three seasons after the team reached an agreement with former Seattle Seahawk Shaquill Griffin on a three-year deal, a league source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Griffin’s contract is worth $ 44.5 million and $ 29 million guaranteed, the source said.
The Seahawks and Griffin were far apart in terms of money before the negotiation window opened, but Seattle took a strong push at the end and got really close, a source told ESPN’s Brady Henderson.
Griffin will pair up with CJ Henderson from the first round of 2020 to give the Jaguars two young corners to build the secondary around. They really needed the help: The Jaguars played face-to-face coverage at the fourth highest rate in the league last season, allowing a league-high 8.7 yards per attempt, according to NFL Next Gen Stats data.
Griffin, who is 25, has been a starter for the Seahawks since the start of his 2017 rookie season. The third round roster started his career on the right and has been the team’s No. 1 corner since moving to the left in his second season after Richard Sherman was released.
Griffin has six interceptions in four seasons, including a best three in 12 games in 2020. He also has 48 defended passes.
He made his only Pro Bowl as an alternate in 2019.
Griffin has played in 57 of the 64 regular season games. He missed four games last season due to a concussion and hamstring injury. He missed one game in 2017 due to a concussion.
The Seahawks reunited Griffin with his twin brother Shaquem, a linebacker / pass rusher, when they fielded the latter in the fifth round in 2018. The two also played together in college at UCF. The Seahawks are not offering Shaquem Griffin as a restricted free agent, a source told ESPN’s Henderson, which will make him an unrestricted free agent.