Along with a throwaway 7th-Round pick, the Minnesota Vikings sent outside linebacker Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles via trade last Friday night, receiving two 3rd-Round picks for their troubles, in addition to some evidently vital salary cap relief. The verdict from fans? There is broad support.
Most fans would take the picks and let the Eagles handle Greenard’s next mega-deal.
All told, Greenard lasted two seasons in Minnesota.
The trade was not divisive.
Fans Offer Verdict on Greenard to PHI
Greenard was a fairly popular player among Vikings fans and a rather productive one, aside from logging just three sacks in 12 games last year. So, to gauge the sentiment from the team’s loyalists, we polled the audience on Twitter (X).
Over 70% approved of the deal:
Most Vikings-themed topics similar to this one drift toward a 60-40 or 50-50 split. Not this one — folks do not mind that Greenard plays elsewhere.
The Haul So Far and to Come
Extracting two 3rd-Rounders from the Eagles, Minnesota already spent one of the picks — on safety Jakobe Thomas of Miami . Thomas possesses an NFL-ready physique (6’1 “, 211 pounds) and 4.57 speed; his skills are immediately apparent. He demonstrates quick game recognition, consistently finds the ball, and has a proven ability to generate turnovers. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores can deploy him across the field without any drop in performance.
His tackling, however, can be inconsistent, likely contributing to his fall to late Round 3 . Should he refine this aspect of his game, his potential is immense. Given he turns 23 this summer, the team probably expects him to contribute quickly, especially with Harrison Smith ’s future totally up in the air.
The second shoe will drop from the trade in April 2027. The Vikings hold the Eagles’ 2027 3rd-Rounder, which will probably end up being anywhere from the 80th to 96th pick. Of course, if Philadelphia experienced a down year, that pick could land in the 60s or 70s. Fingers crossed.
CBS Sports ‘ Tyler Sullivan on the Vikings’ end of the trade : “The Vikings didn’t seem interested in hammering out an extension with Greenard, so the only logical next step was to look to trade him. Two Day 2 picks aren’t exactly a bad return, but they also don’t move the needle much either. They get a top 100 pick in a 2026 NFL Draft that isn’t highly touted, and if Philadelphia plays to its talent caliber next season, the 2027 third will be later in the round in all likelihood.”
“That said, Minnesota does have Dallas Turner and Andrew Van Ginkel on the roster to cushion the blow of Greenard’s departure, and just added to the defensive line with tackle Caleb Banks in the first round, so the cupboard isn’t bare for Brian Flores . The trade also cleans up their books, clearing up $34 million in space, which can’t be overlooked.”
Sullivan also assigned the Eagles an ‘A’ grade for the Greenard trade, while Minnesota fetched a ‘B-.’
Probably Need an Extra EDGE
Before and after the Greenard trade, the Vikings drafted no outside linebackers and have not signed any pass-rushing free agents. It’s Andrew Van Ginkel, Dallas Turner, Bo Richter , and Tyler Batty at EDGE. That’s a long way of saying Minnesota probably needs an OLB3 after Van Ginkel and Turner, if only for injury insurance purposes.
The Vikings also signed undrafted free agent Cam’Ron Stewart from Temple, an “old” rookie who could make the 53-man roster.
From free agency, these targets make the most sense at OLB3:
Dante Fowler Jr.
Risky Business
Minnesota is “in it to win it” in 2026. Teams don’t sign Kyler Murray , for example, without aspirations of reaching the playoffs and winning the Super Bowl. If Minnesota planned on a reset season or a “wait and see” approach, it would’ve rolled with 23-year-quarterback J.J. McCarthy and let him sink or swim.
In that regard, refusing to pay Greenard $100 million over four years is risky business. The serious Super Bowl contenders around the league do whatever it takes to retain and obtain EDGE rushers. The Vikings got rid of their best.
Therefore, the aforementioned Turner must turn into a revelation , and you can probably pencil in OLB as the club’s main draft need next offseason.
While the Vikings may not have $100 million lying around for Greenard’s extension, finding superb OLB talent isn’t easy.
