Jacksonville Jaguars: Grading defensive free agent additions
. player. 52. . . . Shaquill Griffin, cornerback
The Jacksonville Jaguars added two playmakers to their secondary.
CornerbackC.J. Henderson struggled at times last season, especially against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 6 and the Houston Texans in Week 7. On the other hand, he also showed flashes of the talent that made him the ninth overall selection in 2020’s draft.
However, the Jaguars needed to find someone to play opposite of him and they found their man in Shaquill Griffin, who signed a three-year $40 million deal in free agency and is excited to be part of what the Jaguars are building.
A 2017 third-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks in 2017, Griffin has appeared in 57 games with 53 starts and has logged 48 passes and six interceptions over his four-year career. Barring injuries, the Central Florida product should start for the Jaguars in Week 1 of the 2021 season. In his introductory press conference, he said he was ecstatic to be part of something new, something special, and the Jaguars surely feel the same way about him.
Grade: A
. player. 52. . . . Rudy Ford, safety
Not every signing the Jaguars made in free agency will garner national headlines. Even though they brought in a couple of marquee players, they also needed to add depth to their roster and that’s precisely what they did when they signed safety Rody Ford to a $4.2 million deal this offseason.
A 2017 sixth-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals, Ford spent the last two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Although he’s just started just two games in his four-year career, he’s appeared in 41. The Auburn product brings depth and experience to a Jaguars’ secondary that didn’t have much of either in 2020. Moreover, he has special teams value, having appeared in 37 percent of the Eagles’ special teams snaps in 2020 and 47 percent the season before.
Grade: C