Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard Trade Gets Fresh Criticism

With the NFL’s offseason in the books, NFL media is opining on the best and worst transactions from February through May. And for the Minnesota Vikings, ESPN has decided that trading Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles was the club’s worst decision of the offseason.

Few loved the move to offload Greenard, so Seth Walder’s opinion merely served as a confirmation this week.

Dallas Turner Suddenly Has a Bigger Job

Walder: Trading Greenard Was MIN’s Worst Offseason Move

Walder explained his disdain: “Move I disliked: Trading Edge Jonathan Greenard for two third-round picks. During the draft, the Vikings dealt Greenard, one of their best players, to the Eagles in exchange for two third-round picks.”

“I don’t think it was worth it, especially in the current trade environment for high-end players. Despite only three sacks in 12 games last season, Greenard’s 23.2% pass rush win rate at edge would have ranked fourth at the position had he qualified.”

It’s worth noting that he championed the Kyler Murray signing: “The best thing about the Vikings’ offseason is them signing Murray to a veterans minimum deal, which was possible due to his offsets from his contract with the Cardinals. It was a boon for Minnesota.”

“Murray’s services would be worth many millions more on the free market, and he provides an answer at quarterback in the wake of J.J. McCarthy’s rough 2025 season.”

Not Enough Dough — Apparently

Minnesota spent its 2026 offseason resetting the salary cap, refusing to entertain big-name free agents — aside from Kyler Murray, who became available for cheap — and instead focusing on bargain-bin performers like James Pierre (CB) and Ryan Van Demark (OT). The club also added wide receiver Jauan Jennings on a base salary of $8 million.

What it didn’t have was $100 million over four years for Greenard. That had to be close to his asking price for the Vikings; they could not afford it. The Eagles obliged.

Twenty-five million bucks for a pass rusher like Greenard is fair market value. It probably hurts his cause that he only logged 3 sacks in 2025. Three sacks and $25 million don’t jibe.

A Full Pivot to Dallas Turner

The Greenard trade changed Turner’s career with the snap of two fingers.

Prior to the trade, Turner faced a crowded path. Vikings fans have eagerly anticipated his breakout season, a reasonable expectation given his hefty 2024 price tag via trade. However, Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel remained ahead of him on the depth chart. While a “good problem” for Minnesota, it complicated efforts to fully define Turner’s role.

Now, it’s different. Turner no longer needs to contend for limited snaps behind two established outside linebackers. The Vikings can provide him with a substantial workload, allowing his athleticism to shine and determining if his flashes of potential last season were the harbinger of something much greater.

That is the inherent upside of losing Greenard. Despite being a tough trade, it clarifies the depth chart.

Of course, Minnesota still has work to do. While Turner and Van Ginkel can lead the group, the Vikings likely need one more reliable outside linebacker. That could mean acquiring a veteran like Jadeveon Clowney or Leonard Floyd — someone with experience who can set the EDGE and provide enough pass-rush prowess to maintain a robust defense.

So, while the Greenard trade stings on paper, for Turner, it might be what the doctor ordered.

Replace Greenard with a FA EDGE?

The Vikings can ease the pain of the Greenard trade if Turner thrives. They can also sign a veteran EDGE who offers some semblance of his production. The aforementioned Clowney and Floyd might make the most sense, but the list doesn’t end there.

These free-agent outside linebackers are eagerly awaiting 2026 employment:

• Derek Barnett
• Marcus Davenport
• Jerry Hughes
• Yannick Ngakoue
• Emmanuel Ogbah
• Josh Paschal
• Haason Reddick
• Preston Smith
• Kyle Van Noy
• Von Miller

All those players will be gettable for $10 million or less, and Minnesota has $13 million in the bank right to use on summer free agents.

Losing Greenard isn’t ideal, especially for a team aspiring to win a Super Bowl, but Turner and an EDGE to be named later can make it less painful. Fans can also take solace in knowing that Flores probably knows what he’s doing. The Vikings’ defensive boss has not showcased a poor defense yet in Minnesota; that probably won’t start in 2026.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker