Everson Griffen Traded to Lions from Cowboys for Conditional Draft Pick

The Dallas Cowboys announced Tuesday they have traded Everson Griffen to the Detroit Lions.

In exchange for the defensive end, Dallas will receive a conditional sixth-round pick that could end up as high as a fifth-round pick.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first reported the deal.

Griffen had 2.5 sacks and 20 tackles over seven games in 2020, coming off the bench each game in his first season with the Cowboys. He signed a one-year, $6 million contract with the team in August.

The 32-year-old is best known for his 10 years with the Minnesota Vikings, earning four Pro Bowl selections while accumulating 74.5 sacks in this stretch. He was named to the Pro Bowl last season after getting eight sacks and an interception.

However, he remained behind both DeMarcus Lawrence and Aldon Smith on the Cowboys depth chart and appeared in just 56 percent of defensive snaps, matching the lowest mark since his rookie year, per Pro Football Reference.

Dallas decided to trade the reserve, who can be a free agent next offseason, after falling to 2-5 on the season. The defense also can't get much worse as it ranks dead last in the NFL in points allowed.

Meanwhile, Detroit is back in the playoff hunt at 3-3 after two wins in a row.

Adding Griffen could represent a major boost for a defense that has just eight sacks on the season, fifth-fewest in the NFL.

The veteran won't be available for Sunday's game against the Indianapolis Colts due to COVID-19 protocols, per Tom Peliserro of NFL Network. As a result, his first appearance with the new team will come against his old team, the Vikings, in Week 9.