Seahawks bring back Shaquill Griffin to add depth at cornerback

Bob Condotta, The Seattle Times on Jun 25, 2025

Published in Football

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SEATTLE — The Seahawks added to their cornerback depth by bringing back a name from the past — Shaquill Griffin.

Griffin’s agency, Exclusive Sports Group, broke the news Wednesday morning on social media that he agreed to terms with the Seahawks. The NFL Network reported it is a one-year deal with a base value of $3 million that can be worth up to $4 million.

The Seahawks haven’t announced the move, so it was not yet known who would be waived to make room on the 90-man roster.

The move was not a surprise as Griffin visited the Seahawks in April and it was known the team was considering adding a veteran cornerback. They also brought Rasul Douglas in for a visit.

Griffin, who turns 30 on July 20, will compete for the third cornerback spot behind Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen. Josh Jobe held that spot throughout the offseason program, but Jobe has just nine career starts and it was known the team was looking to add experience there.

Coach Mike Macdonald said at the end of veteran minicamp two weeks ago that, while he liked the cornerback group the team has, the Seahawks would consider making additions. They have little experienced depth behind Witherspoon, Woolen and Jobe.

“I mean, are we not going to look to always improve our team in any aspect? No, we’re always going to be out there and try to be in everything and chasing edges on making us better,” Macdonald said. “The guys that are with us right now kind of in that three, four, five spot is exciting. The guys are doing a great job, but go nail it this summer and come back and go compete your butt off.”

The Seahawks also signed two cornerbacks: undrafted free agents in Zy Alexander of LSU and Isas Waxter of Villanova. Alexander’s contract included $249,000 guaranteed, indicating they expect him to at least make the practice squad this year (the 16-man practice squad is set the week before the regular season after 90-man rosters are cut to 53).

The Seahawks signed free agent Shemar Jean-Charles, a fifth-round pick of the Packers in 2021 who played in 28 NFL games. Jean-Charles has been mostly a special-teams player with just two starts and 193 defensive snaps in his career.

The Seahawks re-signed Jobe to a one-year contract worth up to $2 million after he emerged late last season as the third cornerback, replacing Tre Brown. Brown began the 2024 season in that role, but when he missed two games at midseason because of injury, Jobe stepped in and took over the starting job.

Brown signed in March with the 49ers.

At cornerback, the Seahawks also have 2024 fifth-round pick Nehemiah Pritchett, Tyler Hall (who joined the team late last season on the practice squad and has six NFL starts), Damarion Williams (who joined the practice squad last October and played in 2022 and 2023 at Baltimore when Mike Macdonald was the defensive coordinator) and free agent signee J.T. Woods (who played 13 games with the Chargers in 2022-23, mostly on special teams).

Griffin started 53 games for the Seahawks from 2017-20 and earned a Pro Bowl nod following the 2019 season. He signed with Jacksonville as a free agent then moved to Houston in 2023 where he started six games before being released and finishing the year with Carolina.

He spent all of 2024 with the Vikings starting three games and playing all 17, usually in a third cornerback role, getting 572 snaps. He had two interceptions, one on a fourth-down play with less than a minute remaining of Arizona’s Kyler Murray that clinched a 23-22 win for the Vikings.

Griffin played alongside his brother, Shaquem, for three seasons in Seattle. Shaquem Griffin, who had his left hand amputated when he was 4 years old after being born with amniotic band syndrome, played 46 games for the Seahawks from 2018-20, mostly on special teams, before signing with Miami in 2021.

He did not play in another NFL game before announcing his retirement in August 2022 and works with the NFL Legends Community assisting retired players and helping mentor current players on issues both on and off field.

Shaquem Griffin also works in motivational speaking, making an appearance at the Yakima Rotary club in February.