Macdonald and Carroll are different coaches and run different defensive schemes, but as much as Griffin enjoyed his first four seasons in Seattle, he is also excited about what is to come this year under a new coaching staff.
"I love it," Griffin said of Macdonald's defense. "It still gives me a chance to be aggressive. I know a lot of things I am good at, putting hands on, get a chance to press up. I love the change-up part of your body about it too as well, get a chance to get a little bit more aggressive. The best thing about it, you give everybody a chance to do what they do best. It's off coverage, so press coverage, everybody got a position where they can make the best plays for themselves.
"I felt at home as soon as I came here on the first visit and got a chance to see some familiar faces. But I feel like the coaches would remind you that it's a little different now. My coach is a little closer to my age, so that's a little different. But, I feel like a lot of the talks had something that we can all relate to, and it was all good. It was a great conversation. Great scheme. And, I felt like the main thing was that it was just about being here and being home and comfortable. The coaches made it easier for me to make the decision to be here."
As for Griffin's role on the defense, that will be determined over the next few weeks leading up to the start of the season. Griffin missed the start of camp due to a personal matter, and after returning to the team last week, he is back to practice this week, working his way back to full participation. With Devon Witherspoon and Riq Woolen established as Seattle's top two cornerbacks, Griffing could push Josh Jobe for playing time with a strong showing the rest of the way, though Jobe has been very good in that third corner role since taking over the spot midway through last season, so he would be tough to unseat. Whatever the Seahawks ask of Griffin, he's ready to take that challenge on while being the type of veteran leader he had in Sherman early in his career.
"Whatever role they need me to be," he said. "I feel like as a right now to give me a chance to come in and bringing me slow to get a chance to get my feet back under me. But while I'm in this process, you can see me on the field, I will pull a young guy aside and continue to teach them everything that I've learned. I still have a lot of tricks in my bag that I learned when I first got here from Richard Sherman. So, I'm continuing to give whatever I can, whatever role it is for me, if it's coming in or different packages or being here to inspire the young guys to continue to lead the right way for the future to come. So, whatever it is, I'm a team player first. I've been around long enough to make sure whatever role it is, I'm going to do it to the best of my ability."