Vikings trade star pass rusher Jonathan Greenard to Eagles for two crucial draft picks, reshaping their defensive future and cap flexibility.
The Minnesota Vikings made waves on Friday, and not for reasons some were expecting. The Vikings traded pro bowl linebacker Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles.
The move, no doubt, will receive mixed reviews. Some would say all four Vikings moves will when their first-round pick of Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks, their trade back in the second round and their selection of Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday are all taken into account.
Despite the questions that will undoubtedly arise over the move, Minnesota did receive some draft capital in return. The Eagles sent two third round picks to the Vikings in exchange for Greenard with one for this year and one for the 2027 NFL draft. It may not be what Minnesota fans were hoping to get, but it is something. The move creates space to make moves next offseason as well.
For Philadelphia, the Eagles gain and the Vikings lose one of the best pass rushers in the National Football League. Greenard posted 12 sacks each in both the 2023 and 2024 season. And while his sack totals dipped to three sacks in 2025, his pressure remained constant for the Vikings defense. Greenard also added eight sacks in his second NFL season in 2021 with the Houston Texans.
The Vikings and Eagles will not face each other in the regular season in 2026, so they won't have to worry about facing Greenard until the NFL playoffs should both teams play there. The Washington Commanders will be the Vikings' NFC East opponent this seaosn.
The picks will be underrated boosts for Minnesota despite one of them not coming to fruition until next off-season's draft. The Vikings need several positions to be addressed through the draft if they want to reach their potential. Given that the team had to navigate an unforgiving salary cap this offseason and that problem isn't going away, Minnesota will take all the draft picks they can get. The third round is a great spot to find a potential starter.
The Vikings have a new problem now. The team will need to find a way to replace Greenard's disruption with the players on the current roster. That may not be as easy as some believe it is. Even so, they made for a more comfortable salary cap position and set themselves up for what could be a great offseason in 2027. The Vikings will look to add more contributors in the remainder of the offseason.