The owners' meetings yielded an interesting comment.
While it is largely speculated that the Minnesota Vikings have been shopping EDGE rusher Jonathan Greenard with eyes on drafting his replacement in the NFL Draft, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell says he is planning for Greenard to be a part of the team in 2026.
O'Connell said, "Yeah, I expect him to be part of our team. I know there's always conversations. There's conversations this week. There's conversations throughout the offseason, and we'll continue to kind of attack things at the different phases. We're getting ready to really jump heavily into draft meetings when we get back. But at the same time, we're always going to try to do what's best for our team and also what we think is best for each one of our individual players. And that's an ongoing thing throughout every offseason."
It sounds like, after a salary cap purge to get under the required number for the new league year, the Vikings are comfortable footing the defensive lineman's $19 million contract.
O'Connell also discussed Harrison Smith and his possible retirement.
"He knows how I feel about him, how we feel about him. But we also want to be respectful and give him space to kind of continue to figure out what he wants to do."
While the Vikings designated Smith as a post-June 1 release, the move felt procedural and wasn't an indication of the team's desire for Smith to return.
The assumption is that the Vikings will draft a safety to replace Smith, but the team would welcome Smith back with open arms and is giving him all the runway he needs to decide.
Of course, no discussion with O'Connell is complete without a question about Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy.
McCarthy has returned to Minnesota after training in California. "J.J.'s had a really good offseason," O'Connell said. "I think he's got perspective now."
Odds are Kyler Murray is the Week 1 starter, and McCarthy has an uphill battle to reclaim his starting position. Carson Wentz is also in the fold with his one-year contract, and Max Brosmer is still on the roster.
When O'Connell was asked about replacing center Ryan Kelly after his retirement, the head coach said backup center Blake Brandel will be the front-runner to replace Kelly and start in 2026.
Today's discussion was insightful, but words are fine, and all; actions and what will transpire this offseason are what truly matter.