Nick Sirianni
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The Athletic's Alec Lewis wrote Nick Sirianni and the Philadelphia Eagles stand out as a Jonathan Greenard trade candidate.
It remains to be seen how serious the Minnesota Vikings are about trading edge rusher Jonathan Greenard. But if he’s dealt before the 2026 NFL campaign, the Philadelphia Eagles appear to be one of the most likely landing spots.
That’s what The Athletic’s Alec Lewis implied with a Thursday update on Greenard’s status with the Vikings. Lewis wrote the Eagles are one of two teams that currently stand out as possibilities for Greenard.
The other was the Indianapolis Colts. Indianapolis, though, might not have the draft capital necessary to land the Vikings edge rusher.
“Philadelphia, meanwhile, has plenty of draft picks. As usual, the Eagles got multiple compensatory picks in the 2026 draft: an extra third-, fourth- and fifth-rounder,” Lewis wrote. “They, too, have a sizable amount of cap space for the next two seasons. The Eagles have a deeper stable of edge rushers than Indianapolis, with Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt and Arnold Ebiketie.
“However, none of them possesses the game-changing pass-rush potential of Greenard.”
Lewis concluded that anything less than a Day 2 pick would “presumably be a non-starter” for the Vikings in negotiations. Greenard’s new team will also likely have to sign the edge rusher to a new contract.
Amid major salary cap issues this offseason, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 3 the Vikings were “open to trading” Greenard. On his current deal, which is a 4-year, $76 million contract, the veteran will count as a $22.15 million cap hit in 2026.
Greenard registered three sacks with 10 tackles for loss, 12 quarterback hits and three pass defenses in 12 games last season.
Why Eagles Could Acquire Jonathan Greenard
Pundits have been suggesting Philadelphia as a landing spot for Greenard since Schefter reported the Vikings could trade him.
Multiple reports from The Athletic’s Zach Berman, NFL insider Jordan Schultz and Chat Sports’s Chase Senior have pointed toward the Eagles remaining very interested in acquiring Greenard.
The Eagles lost three edge rushers to NFL free agency, including 2025 trade deadline acquisition Jaelan Phillips. Philadelphia added veteran Arnold Ebiketie, but many still expect the Eagles to address edge rusher in a more significant capacity.
Lewis sees a trade happening around the NFL Draft the most likely scenario.
“Conversations between teams tend to evolve around the draft,” Lewis wrote. “By then, teams have a deeper understanding of who might be available at their pick.
“That knowledge can inform how teams approach negotiations.”
Greenard saw his sack total drop from 12 in 2024 to only three last season. But his analytical statistics such as pressure rate, win rate and run stop rate actually improved.
That suggests Greenard is still an elite edge rusher and could be due for a lot more sacks again in 2026.
Will the Vikings Trade Greenard?
Rumors have circled Greenard since the beginning of March. But the Vikings are taking the approach that they don’t have to trade the veteran.
That will keep the asking price high.
In a way, that could benefit the Eagles. It will prevent other teams from pursuing Greenard. The Colts don’t have a first-round pick, which could make it hard for them to accept giving up a Day 2 selection for Greenard.
Having said that, the Vikings defender will only land with the Eagles if they are willing to meet Minnesota’s asking price. And it’s not likely the asking price is going to drop.
Lewis wrote the Vikings would prefer not to trade Greenard. That’s a sign that Minnesota could be tough in trade negotiations.
The Eagles have 10 selections in the 2026 NFL Draft. Three of those picks will be on Day 2 — one second-rounder and two thirds.