Jonathan Greenard
Getty
Vikings' defensive end Jonathan Greenard is reportedly drawing interest from the Eagles on the trade market
The Minnesota Vikings have been busy ahead of free agency, as the front office has had to work hard in an effort to become compliant with the NFL’s salary cap before the new league year starts on Wednesday. That has resulted in several players getting released, while others have had their contracts restructured in order to create cap space.
Elsewhere, the Vikings are also fielding trade offers on several players, with one of them being star defensive end Jonathan Greenard. To this point, Minnesota hasn’t been able to find a trade partner for Greenard, but that could change depending on how the first couple of days of free agency unfold.
Eagles Show Interest in Jonathan Greenard Trade
Jeremy Fowler
Last-minute free agency notes
-Colts down to wire with Pierce, whose market 📈 -RBs on the move -Eagles busy at new league year -A.J. brown, other trade musings -Commanders set to be active
After a bit of a slow start to his career with the Houston Texans, Greenard enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2023, as he racked up 12.5 sacks right before he hit the open market. That helped Greenard earn a four-year, $76 million contract from Minnesota, and he immediately put together the first Pro Bowl campaign of his career in 2024.
This past season, things didn’t go as well for Greenard, as he racked up just three sacks during his 12 games of action. While there’s a decent chance he will bounce back if he can stay healthy, the Vikings believe now is the time for them to get out of Greenard’s contract, as trading him would save over $12 million in cap space.
While Minnesota has received interest for Greenard’s services, nothing has pushed it to make a deal just yet. However, according to NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, that could change soon, as the Philadelphia Eagles are believed to be eyeing Greenard in the event they are unsuccessful in their quest to re-sign Jaelan Phillips.
“The Eagles are believed to have inquired about Minnesota’s Jonathan Greenard,” Fowler reported. “The Vikings have received many inquiries on Greenard, who will be far cheaper to acquire than Crosby. A Day 2 pick probably gets a deal done. But complicating matters is Greenard’s contract. Teams say he wants a new deal. His current contract is set to pay him $38 million over the next two years.”
Vikings Would Like to Trade Jonathan Greenard Sooner Rather Than Later
Jonathan Greenard Ranks
GettyMinnesota Vikings outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard recorded 38 total tackles, three sacks, three passes defensed, and a forced fumble across 12 games in 2025.
The main motivation for trading Greenard is for the salary cap savings, and with the team still looking to shed salary, that means the front office will be looking to get the star pass rusher off their books soon. As of right now, Phillips is on track to hit the open market, and if the Eagles miss out on him, that could lead them to take a swing at Greenard.
Of course, another team could swoop in and steal Greenard from Minnesota, but it seems like teams are waiting to see how a deep free agent class unfolds before making a decision on him. With the legal tampering period for free agency set to open in just over 24 hours, the Vikings would like some clarity on Greenard’s situation, and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him get dealt in the coming days.