Jonathan Greenard, Vikings
Getty
Pass-rusher Jonathan Greenard of the Minnesota Vikings.
The Detroit Lions‘ defense badly needs a pass-rusher opposite Aidan Hutchinson next year but can’t break the bank paying for one given all the talent already on the roster up for contract extensions this offseason.
Enter Minnesota Vikings outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard.
Greenard is hunting a contract restructure to up his pay over the last two years of his $76 million deal. That development, plus a salary cap deficit currently clocking in at around $46.5 million in Minnesota, led to the Vikings essentially putting Greenard on the trade block Tuesday, March 3.
“Vikings are now open to trading Pro Bowl edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, per sources,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported via X. “They would like to keep Greenard, but they also have salary cap issues they’re working through that have led to these trade conversations.”
But the even better news for teams like Detroit hunting high-end edge defenders is how much the Vikings are willing to accept in return for Greenard.
“Teams I’ve talked to believe Minnesota wants a Day 2 pick for Greenard,” Jeremy Fowler, also of ESPN, reported via social media.
The Lions own the No. 50 pick in Round 2, which is likely on the high end of what the Vikings are hunting in terms of trade value for Greenard, who earned Pro-Bowl honors with the team in 2024.
Jonathan Greenard Produced Strong Year in 2025, Despite Shoulder Injury
Jonathan Greenard
GettyMinnesota Vikings edge-rusher Jonathan Greenard.
Greenard put up 12 sacks and 18 tackles for loss in his first campaign with the Vikings two years ago. He suffered a shoulder injury in 2025 that robbed him of five games and resulted in season-ending surgery.
As such, his production dipped to 10 tackles for loss and three sacks. Greenard tallied 12.5 and 12 sacks across 15 and 17 games played 2023 and 2024, respectively.
Greenard mustered 47 pressures in just 12 contests during his injury-marred campaign of 2025. That equates to approximately four pressures per game, which put him on track for roughly 68 pressures extrapolated out over a full season.
For context, unanimous Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns, who broke the single-season record with 23 sacks, tallied 84 total pressures in 2025.
Greenard, who will play next season at 29 years old, has produced 38 sacks over his six-year NFL career. He has also added 60 tackles for loss over that stretch.
Lions Can Trade for Jonathan Greenard, Extend Him and Bring Down Salary Cap Hit in 2026
Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard
GettyMinnesota Vikings edge-rusher Jonathan Greenard.
Greenard would come with a 2026 price tag of just under $19 million should the Lions deal for him due to a base salary of $18.39 million, plus a $360,000 roster bonus and a $100,000 workout bonus this spring.
However, Greenard wants a restructure with Minnesota for more money and would presumably desire a pay increase anywhere the team trades him. If the Lions believe he can return to full health ahead of his age-29 campaign, Detroit could extend Greenard for an extra year or two and bring down his cap hit in 2026 by way of converting base salary into a signing bonus.
That would allow the Lions to add legitimate talent off the edge in Greenard without impeding their ability to pay the likes of linebacker Jack Campbell, tight end Sam LaPorta, running back Jahmyr Gibbs and safety Brian Branch — all of whom the team can offer extensions this offseason.