Everson Griffen Agrees to New Vikings Contract 1 Day After Being Released

Everson Griffen is sticking with the Minnesota Vikings after all. 

The team re-signed the veteran defensive end Wednesday, one day after releasing him. According to the NFL Network's Tom Pelissero, the Vikings "needed the roster spot for a day to make other moves, but as expected, Griffen's back."

The Vikings announced that they needed to include Irv Smith Jr., Kene Nwangwu and Dan Chisena on the 53-man roster before putting them on injured reserve so the trio wouldn't have to miss the season. Once those IR moves went through, Minnesota had the spots available to bring back Griffen and long snapper Andrew DePaola.

Griffen, 33, spent his first 10 NFL seasons (2010-19) with the Vikings, posting 74.5 sacks, 176 quarterback hits, 86 tackles for loss, nine forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, two interceptions and two defensive touchdowns. He was a four-time Pro Bowler and a key fixture on the team's line.

He signed with the Dallas Cowboys last summer but appeared in just seven games before being traded for a sixth-round pick to the Detroit Lions, for whom he played seven games as well. Between the two teams, he registered six sacks, 14 quarterback hits and seven tackles for loss.

He signed back with the Vikings on Aug. 23.

Griffen's release and re-signing is indicative of teams' roster-juggling this time of year as they look to fill out practice squads and adjust on the margins.

"Everything is fluid," Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer told reporters Wednesday. "So what you see right now probably isn't going to be the ending roster."