Report: Vikings Tried To Trade DE Everson Griffen To Browns For G Kevin Zeitler

Andrew Krammer and Ben Goessling of the Minneapolis Star Tribune recently mentioned on a podcast that the Vikings attempted to trade veteran DE Everson Griffen to the Browns for G Kevin Zeitler.

However, the Browns later focused on sending Zeitler to the Giants in return for DE Olivier Vernon and was later amended to include WR Odell Beckham Jr.

“With Everson Griffen, you brought him up, I had heard this offseason that they tried to go after Kevin Zeitler with Everson Griffen, and that’s around the same time that the Giants decided to offer up, and probably for a while had been talking about giving up Olivier Vernon,” Krammer said, via 247Sports.com. “So that was a defensive end for a guard swap that the Vikings were well-positioned to make, but couldn’t. But if you’re the Vikings, that would have been a steal. I have heard they tried to do that, but it fell apart when the Browns decided to send him to New York.”

The Vikings ultimately agreed to a restructured contract with Griffen back in March, which ensured he’ll remain in Minnesota for at the least the 2019 season. 

According to Tom Pelissero, Griffen’s new deal will pay him around $8 million in 2019. The restructure also adds player options for Griffen assuming he meets minimum performance standards.    

Reports from earlier in the offseason had said that the Vikings were expected to release Griffen if he didn’t agree to a restructured contract.

Griffen dealt with some personal issues last year that led to him being away from the team for a portion of the season. 

Griffen, 30, is a former fourth-round pick of the Vikings back in 2010. Griffen is in the third year of his six-year, $75 million contract that includes $34 million guaranteed and was set to make a base salary of $12,900,000 for the 2019 season.

In 2018, Griffen appeared in 11 games for the Vikings and recorded 33 tackles, 5.5 sacks, and a pass defense.