Seahawks should add just one Viking, and that has to be Everson Griffen

The Seahawks are in the market for some talent. Two soon-to-be-former Vikings are prime targets, but Everson Griffen is the one player we really need.

The Seahawks definitely need to add talent to their squad this offseason. They need both depth and playmakers. Their acquisition of tight end Greg Olsen checks both boxes, but his signing is just the start. Two top-notch players from the Vikings have made it clear they want new homes in 2020. While both are intriguing targets for Seattle, I think defensive end Everson Griffen is the player the Hawks truly need to land, more so than wideout Stefon Diggs.

Our own Geoff Shull has already written about this potential Seahawks – Vikings deal – brilliantly, I’ll add. I’m not about to dispute Geoff’s assertion that Diggs would be an excellent addition for the Seahawks. As Geoff wrote, Diggs already has a solid connection with Russell Wilson. He certainly fits the definition of the type of playmaker DangeRuss wants to see on the Hawks.

However, I have two problems with the idea of the Hawks going after Diggs. The first is that Seattle has some major needs, and wide receiver simply isn’t at the top of the list. Of course Wilson can always use more weapons, but the Hawks have two extremely capable starters at receiver in Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf. Yes, installing Diggs opposite Metcalf and sliding Lockett into the slot full time would be amazing. It would also cost $11 million per year.

Seattle has a lot of cap space ($59 million), and will certainly clear even more. But when your team only had one player register as many as four sacks, you have bigger needs than wide receiver. Especially when you consider that Wilson threw 35 touchdowns last year. The problem isn’t on offense. The defense *has* to be fixed.

That’s where Everson Griffen comes in. He had eight sacks last year, and it was just an average performance for him. He’s recorded at least that many sacks in six of his ten seasons. Since he was installed in the starting lineup in 2014, he’s totaled 57 sacks and 138 QB hits. That’s over nine sacks and 23 quarterback hits per year. That’s the kind of production the Hawks desperately need.

Yes, I’d love to have both Diggs and Griffen on the Seahawks. Seattle will have a lot of cap space, but they also need a *lot* of help on the offensive line. Griffen would help fill a huge need for the Hawks. A pass rush would do wonders for Seattle’s pass rush. That, and a reliable slot corner. Diggs would be great, but he’s a luxury for this team. He’d be fantastic in navy and gray, but this team has far bigger priorities, and Griffen answers the biggest.