The Jonathan Greenard era in Minneapolis lasted two seasons, and the rumors since early March were accurate. The Minnesota Vikings did business with the Philadelphia Eagles, extracting a pair of 3rd-Rounders for the Pro Bowl outside linebacker.

Minnesota wanted more, but the final deal still gives interim general manager Rob Brzezinski some ammunition.

The Vikings allegedly wanted nothing less than a 2nd-Rounder for Greenard, but that stance did not work out.

Minnesota’s EDGE Depth Takes the Spotlight after the Deal

The Vikings will probably need another depth OLB.

Eagles Nab Greenard from Vikings in Trade

It’s a done deal. ESPN’s Kevin Seifert and Tim McManus wrote Friday night, “The Philadelphia Eagles have acquired Jonathan Greenard in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings and agreed to a lucrative new deal with the star linebacker. The Eagles sent two third-round draft picks — the No. 98 pick in this year’s draft and a third-rounder next year — to the Vikings for Greenard, who then agreed to a four-year, $100 million extension with Philadelphia, his agents told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.”

“The new deal also includes $50 million in guaranteed money, according to his agents. Philadelphia also received a 2026 seventh-rounder in the trade, which was announced Friday. Greenard had been one of the Vikings’ top defensive players over the past two seasons. He spent the first four years of his career with the Texans before signing a four-year, $72 million contract with the Vikings in 2024.”

Greenard was scheduled to earn $19 million in Minnesota next season. Instead, he gets a ticket to Philadelphia and $50 million in guaranteed cheddar.

The Eagles’ & Vikings’ New-Look Defensive Lines

While the Vikings’ draft is still unfolding, and they could land mid- or late-round EDGE as a Greenard replacement, here’s a look at the current defensive line:

It’s unclear if Richter is ready to handle an OLB3 workload in Greenard’s absence. Perhaps, perhaps not.

In Philadelphia, the defensive line has these names:

Adding Greenard solves the Eagles’ problem — they need one more dependable EDGE. That’s Greenard.

USA Today‘s Tyler Nettuno opined on the swap, “Greenard may be coming off a down season, but if he can stay healthy, he could be due for a major bounce-back campaign as he becomes the latest addition to a talented Eagles defense.”

“Now, he could give that unit, which had just one player with more than five sacks last season, a true pass-rushing threat. Two third-rounders isn’t an awful price to pay, but there is some added risk involved with the extension. Still, Greenard will be just 29 by the start of the season, and if he can get back to playing at a high level, this move will pay immediate dividends.”

Value = Mid-3rd-Rounder

While Minnesota maintained a posture that suggested a 2nd-Rounder in return, it settled on a puny package, at least compared to trades involving Maxx Crosby (nullified) and Dexter Lawrence in the last couple of months.

On most trade charts, the sum of the Vikings’ trade haul is the equivalent of the 73rd pick in the draft. Brzezinski basically got a solid 3rd-Rounder for Greenard.

Go Birds Go host Eliot Shorr-Parks tweeted from an Eagles perspective, “Wow. This is a major, major investment in Greenard. More than usual for Howie when it comes to an EDGE, who prioritizes the position but also doesn’t usually pay this kind of money. They clearly love him as a player.”

On the other hand, Vikings fans were led to believe Minnesota would land a 2nd-Rounder for Greenard and were hence disappointed that it didn’t pan out.

Free-Agent OLBs to Replace Him?

Looking for solace? Well, the Vikings can rather easily sign a pass rusher or two from free agency, especially after freeing up cap space from the Greenard trade.

These men are available on the open market:

• Denico Autry
• Derek Barnett
• Joey Bosa
• Jadeveon Clowney
• Michael Danna
• A.J. Epenesa
• Dante Fowler Jr.
• Leonard Floyd
• Anfernee Jennings
• Cameron Jordan
• Von Miller
• Haason Reddick
• Kyle Van Noy

Clowney especially makes sense as a reliable veteran.

Greenard tallied 3 sacks in 12 games last season. Minnesota signed him instead of Danielle Hunter, who joined the Houston Texans in 2024 free agency. In hindsight, keeping Hunter probably would’ve been the wiser move.

The Vikings’ end of the bargain all depends on the fruits of the 3rd-Round picks. If they draft duds, the trade will look silly. And vice versa.

Earlier this month, Michigan defeated UConn in the NCAA men’s basketball national championship game. 

Shortly after the Wolverines captured the program’s first title since 1989, Michigan forward Morez Johnson Jr. announced he would enter the NBA Draft.

Despite declaring for the NBA Draft, Johnson has maintained his NCAA eligibility throughout the process. However, he has until May 27 to withdraw if he plans to return for his junior season. 

Johnson played for Illinois during the 2024-25 season before transferring to Michigan last offseason.

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Michigan’s Morez Johnson Jr. walks on the court against UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated)

After joining Michigan, Johnson quickly emerged as a key contributor, averaging the second-most points on the team. He also led the Wolverines in rebounding, averaging 7.3 per game.

Michigan head coach Dusty May eventually dubbed Johnson “The Enforcer” and “Junkyard Dog,” a nod to his tenacity on the defensive end. Johnson was named to the Big Ten’s All-Defensive Team.

RANKING THE TOP 20 PLAYERS IN THE MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL TRANSFER PORTAL

But Johnson’s offensive prowess didn’t take a back seat to his defensive strengths. His shooting from beyond the 3-point line showed improvement as the season progressed.

Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines cuts down the net after defeating the UConn Huskies 69-63 in the 2026 NCAA national championship game in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Many early NBA projections gave Johnson a first-round grade. It’s unclear how much name, image and likeness (NIL) compensation he would command if he returns to Michigan or transfers elsewhere.

Johnson has been active on social media, interacting with teammates as they consider returning to Michigan for another championship push.

Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines celebrates after scoring in the second half against the UConn Huskies during the 2026 NCAA national championship at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis April 6, 2026. (Jamie Schwaberow/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

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Michigan added a key piece this week, with Jalen Reed transferring from LSU, On3 reported. Reed was limited during the 2025-26 season by an Achilles injury.

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Six-division world champion and Golden Boy Promoter Oscar De La Hoya has not fought since 2008 but has revealed that he would be willing to make a return for one man.

De La Hoya is a modern pound-for-pound legend, being one of just two six-division champions in the history of the sport – joined by Filipino fan-favourite Manny Pacquiao, who reached eight, in that extremely elite club.

Whilst De La Hoya has moved into the promotional side of the sport, ‘Pac Man’ recently made his professional comeback, as he challenged Mario Barrios for the WBC welterweight world title last July in an attempt to break his own record as boxing’s oldest 147lbs ruler.

Pacquiao could only muster a draw in that fight, but is now set for an even bigger fight – at least in terms of money – having signed for a rematch with Floyd Mayweather, who famously defeated him in ‘The Fight of the Century’ back in 2015.

It remains to be seen whether that bout could impact Mayweather’s famous 50-0 record or not, with ‘TBE’ seemingly looking to change the fight contract to an exhibition bout despite signing for a sanctioned contest.

Should that fight go ahead in September and Mayweather come out on top once again, De La Hoya told FightHype that he would also be willing to rematch Mayweather.

“I am a fighter. I will always be a fighter. If Mayweather beats Pacquiao, Floyd, you owe me a rematch! Let’s go!”

Mayweather defeated De La Hoya via split-decision to claim the WBC super-lightweight world title in 2007, with De La Hoya still maintaining that he deserved the victory in that fight.

Devdutt Padikkal’s comeback continued to gain steam as his impressive 55 off 27 balls set the stage for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s five-wicket victory over Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday. Reflecting on his return to form, Padikkal emphasised the effort behind the scenes. “Feels great. I’ve been working hard to get where I am, and I’m glad it’s paying off. I think a lot of this is thanks to the self-belief that the management has given me. At the same time, I’ve made some technical changes over the past few years. You have to stick to those changes. Now I am seeing the results.”

Chasing a tough target of 205, RCB needed a strong start, and Padikkal delivered just that. He took on the pace of Kagiso Rabada and Mohammed Siraj with confidence, hitting boundaries and maintaining the required run rate. One shot stood out – a beautiful lofted drive over extra cover – which he highlighted: “It was probably my favourite shot of the day for sure.”

Padikkal approached the innings with a clear strategy rather than recklessness. “At the end of the day, I need to play according to the situation and assess what’s happening out there. We were chasing 210, so we needed to make the most of the Powerplay and keep the momentum going for the next few overs,” he explained. This clarity showed as he dominated the middle overs, taking apart Prasidh Krishna and applying pressure on Rashid Khan with a mix of sweeps and lofted shots.

While Virat Kohli steadied the chase with a smooth 81, Padikkal’s aggressive innings ensured RCB stayed ahead of the required rate. Even after his dismissal, bowled by a clever googly from Rashid, the foundation he laid proved crucial.

Looking ahead, Padikkal expressed his desire to contribute more significantly. “I want to help finish games, so hopefully I can do that soon,” he said, while also recognising the depth of talent that gives him freedom at the top. “We’ve seen what Tim, Romario, and Jitesh can do down the order, so with that kind of firepower, you can feel free to go out and express yourself.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

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