Shaquill Griffin Free Agent Fits: 49ers, Jets, Colts

Injuries really tanked Shaquill Griffin’s time with the Jaguars after signing with them as a free agent in 2021. A back injury shut him down after five games this past season and he was released as a cap cut.

If healthy — which isn’t a given with back injuries, as they can be tricky and linger — Griffin is still a potential decent No. 2 corner, which will have value for some teams. He’s still just 28 so in theory he has a few more years of production in front of him. 

It’s worth mentioning that signing Griffin to a contract won’t impact a team’s 2024 compensatory picks, given that he was released this offseason. 

Griffin, 27, was selected by the Seahawks in the third round out of UCF in 2017. He finished the final year of his four-year rookie contract worth $3,158,620, which included a signing bonus of $758,620.

He then signed a three-year contract with the Jaguars in 2021 that was worth up to $44.5 million with $29 million guaranteed. Griffin is due to make a base salary of $11.5 million in the final year of the deal in 2023 when the Jaguars cut him loose this offseason. 

In 2022, Griffin appeared in five games for the Jaguars and recorded 29 total tackles, three tackles for loss, zero interceptions and four pass defenses.

We have him included in our Top 100 Available 2023 NFL Free Agents list.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers make a lot of sense, as they still need a No. 2 boundary cornerback across from Charvarius Ward. Although San Francisco signed Isaiah Oliver and Myles Hartsfield, they’re primarily slot corners.

Right now the 49ers would start Deommodore Lenoir at the other outside spot, and while he’s improved, there’s still room to upgrade.

Griffin played in a similar system his first four years with the Seahawks and there are some connections still on the coaching staff in San Francisco. Nick Sorensen was Griffin’s secondary coach in Seattle and is currently a defensive assistant for the 49ers. 

New York Jets

Griffin didn’t cross paths with Jets HC Robert Saleh in Seattle but he would be a fit in that system as well since it comes from the same family.

New York doesn’t need starting help at cornerback, as defensive rookie of the year Sauce Gardner and veteran D.J. Reed are one of the best duos in football. It’s thin behind those two after that.

Griffin would have to be willing to sign a cheap deal but he’d be an upgrade for the Jets’ depth and give Saleh some peace of mind in case of injuries. 

Indianapolis Colts

The Colts have a hole at cornerback after trading away Stephon Gilmore, and DC Gus Bradley also has roots in the Seahawks’ system.

Griffin wouldn’t be a clean fit from an age perspective if the Colts want to go young in the secondary but he is still only 27 and has a lot of starting experience. There’s some conceivable upside here for Indianapolis and the allure of a starting job for Griffin.