BBAO: Everson Griffen prepping as a LB
July, 10, 2012
7/10/12
7:00
AM ET
By
Kevin Seifert | ESPN.com
We're Black and Blue All Over:
Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com culled an interesting nugget this week: Minnesota Vikings coaches have told third-year player Everson Griffen that he will be a linebacker when training camp opens later this month.
I get more questions about Griffen than perhaps any other backup player in this division, mostly because he appears to have elite athletic ability and some good pass rush skills but is buried on the depth chart behind defensive ends Jared Allen and Brian Robison. He has never played linebacker, and at this point his 263 pounds is heavy for a 4-3 linebacker, but the Vikings are smart to try to find alternative ways to get him on the field.
Perhaps Griffen will be of particular use in nickel and special packages when the Vikings are using only three down linemen. Or perhaps he could perform well as a roving standup defensive end. Whatever form it takes, there's nothing wrong with trying to get your best athletes onto the field.
Continuing around the NFC North:
Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com culled an interesting nugget this week: Minnesota Vikings coaches have told third-year player Everson Griffen that he will be a linebacker when training camp opens later this month.
I get more questions about Griffen than perhaps any other backup player in this division, mostly because he appears to have elite athletic ability and some good pass rush skills but is buried on the depth chart behind defensive ends Jared Allen and Brian Robison. He has never played linebacker, and at this point his 263 pounds is heavy for a 4-3 linebacker, but the Vikings are smart to try to find alternative ways to get him on the field.
Perhaps Griffen will be of particular use in nickel and special packages when the Vikings are using only three down linemen. Or perhaps he could perform well as a roving standup defensive end. Whatever form it takes, there's nothing wrong with trying to get your best athletes onto the field.
Continuing around the NFC North:
- There is little chance that the story of Adrian Peterson's arrest will disappear quickly, writes Dan Wiederer of the Star Tribune.
- Safety Morgan Burnett is the Green Bay Packers' 16th-most important player, according to Jason Wilde of ESPNMilwaukee.com.
- The Packers are set to release their annual financial report Tuesday, according to the Associated Press.
- New Chicago Bears quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates on Jay Cutler, via Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com: "I see him as the same player, except now he has more knowledge about defenses and more experience playing the game."
- Former Bears coach Dave Wannstedt bought a $930,000 condo in downtown Chicago, according to Bob Goldsborough of the Chicago Tribune. That means the Bears' four most recent coaches all are Chicago-area homeowners.
- More than half of the Detroit Lions' defense could be eligible for free agency after the 2012 season, writes Justin Rogers of Mlive.com.
- Carlos Monarrez of the Detroit Free Press: "No one knows for sure how good Lions running back Mikel Leshoure can be. Not really."
Kevin Seifert | email
NFL- ESPN NFC North Blogger
- Joined ESPN in 2008
- Covered the Minnesota Vikings for the Minneapolis Star Tribune for eight years
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Kevin Seifert
Seifert joined ESPN.com in 2008 after covering the Minnesota Vikings for the Minneapolis Star Tribune for eight years. He lives in the Twin Cities with his wife and children.
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