Minnesota Vikings Make Everson Griffen Most Overpaid Player in NFL

On Sunday, the Minnesota Vikings resigned defensive end Everson Griffen to a five-year, $42.5 million deal.

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Griffen, who was a fourth-round pick during the 2010 NFL Draft by the Vikings, has yet to prove general managers that let him fall to the draft. Griffin was considered by many draft gurus, including ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr., to have a late-first to second-round draft grade.

Griffen compiled 27 tackles and 5.5 sacks last season with 2.5 of his sacks coming in the team's final two games with the Vikings way out of the playoff hunt. Griffen has recorded 85 tackles and 17.5 sacks in 59 career games, never getting more than eight sacks or 27 tackles in a single-season.

Griffen is currently one of the top-10 highest paid defensive ends in the league with the new deal ahead of the likes of Cameron Wake, Cliff Avril, J.J Watt, and both Aldon and Justin Smith in San Francisco.

While the writing is on the wall that Jared Allen is not going to be in Minnesota in 2014, they essentially are going to be paying $8.5 million a year and a guaranteed $20 million to a 26-year old lottery ticket.

With Griffen's age, he could still develop into an impact pass rusher, but the window is limited. If Griffen developed by 2015, they could get double-digit sacks from him in two or three years if this contract baring injury. Head coach Mike Zimmer helped another fourth-round defensive end from the 2010 Draft, Michael Johnson, become a premier pass rusher in Cincinnati so there is a track record to help the signing.

With Michael Johnson expected to ask around $10-12 million per year prior to the signing according to free agency rumors, he might be upping their asking price. The market may have just boomed on pass rushers considering Griffen was rated as the 36th best 4-3 defensive end by Pro Football Focus' metrics.