Ex Jaguars CB Shaquill Griffin crosses enemy lines, joins Texans

Cornerback Shaquill Griffin played well in his first season with the Jacksonville Jaguars back in 2021. However, a back injury he suffered last year and a hefty cap hit in 2023 led to his release a few months ago. Griffin has now found a new home with the Houston Texans, signing a one-year contract with the Jags' division foes.

Jordan Schultz of theScore reports that Griffin's deal with the Texans is worth up to $4.5 million. A third-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks, the former UCF Knight signed a three-year deal worth $40 million with the Jags in 2021. He instantly became a key cog in their secondary and was named team captain by his teammates.

Even though the Jags weren't collectively good in 2021, Griffin fared well, registering six passes defensed and allowing a career best 11.6 yards per reception. The Florida native was expected to be even better in 2022 but he suffered a back injury that affected his effectiveness. He was then shut down for the season after Week 5.

Coming off a season-ending injury and slated to count $17.5 million against the cap in 2023, Griffin was released. By choosing to part ways with the veteran cornerback, the Jags created $13.147 in space with $4 million in dead money.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will face Shaquill Griffin twice in 2023

It took Shaquill Griffin a few weeks to find a new team but he can now start preparing for the 2023 season. The Texans might not have been the top destination on his list of potential landing spots but given that he didn't have a robust market, he didn't have many other choices. Now, he'll get to face his former club twice next season.

Back when the Jags signed Griffin, they were coming off a 1-15 season, so expectations weren't really high entering the 2021 season. However, Urban Meyer turned Jacksonville into an utter disaster during his short stint, and the Jaguars sank even lower.

It was Griffin during Meyer's tumultuous tenure that often showed face after a loss, regardless of how bad it was and that's worth praising. He (rightfully) looked frustrated at times but remained engaged in spite of the adversity.

Griffin told the media that he would have liked to remain with the Jaguars in 2023 but also understood the business side of things. Although his stint in Jacksonville didn't probably finish the way he wanted, it's nice to see him latch onto a new team, even if said team is slated to face off against the Jags twice next season.