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The Vikings were left wanting more after the Jonathan Greenard trade.
The Minnesota Vikings dealt their star pass rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles during the NFL Draft this weekend.
After Minnesota and Greenard were unable to reach an agreement on a revised contract, the two sides felt the best thing forward was to part ways. Ultimately, the Vikings received a third-round pick in 2026 and one in 2027 as part of the deal, but ESPN Insider Adam Schefter revealed that Minnesota was initially hoping for much more.
“The interesting part of this trade is that it had been in the works for weeks,” said Schefter on The Pat McAfee Show. “There was a point in mid-March where these two teams were discussing a potential trade for Greenard and they couldn’t agree on the value at that point in time. I believe the Eagles were offering a third-round pick this year, the Vikings wanted a second-round pick this year, and talks stalled entirely.”
“On Thursday, the two sides connected again and agreed to the trade.”
It had been long rumored that Minnesota was hoping for at least a second-round pick for Greenard. On the surface, it didn’t feel like a ridiculous asking price after seeing Maxx Crosby (almost) getting traded for two-firsts, but ultimately the Eagles never wanted to go that high. Instead, the Vikings landed two third-rounders, and took Miami safety Jakobe Thomas with this year’s pick.
After coming off a down season in 2025 in which he only notched three sacks, Greenard’s contract demands seemed a bit out of left field. He was a captain and a respected leader, and interim general manager Rob Brzezinski admitted that the Vikings weren’t happy to trade him.
“We’re going to miss him,” he said. “We’re happy he was able to get himself a new contract, but this is not something we’re jumping around excitedly about. We did feel like it was the best thing for the organization moving forward.”
It’s clear that Minnesota was thrilled with their pick haul for Greenard, but the market just wasn’t there for the 28-year old pass rusher.
The Vikings invested heavily into their defense during the draft, taking a player on that side of the ball with four of their first five selections.
Their biggest prize of the weekend, first-round pick Caleb Banks, could help to ease the pain of losing Greenard if he can develop and stay healthy.
“Caleb Banks is a good player,” said Mel Kiper Jr. after the draft. “He can wreak havoc on opposing linemen and has legit burst to affect the quarterback in the pocket as an interior pass rusher (4.5 sacks in 2024). He’s at his best as a run stuffer, closing gaps with his 6-foot-6, 327-pound frame, and he brings scheme versatility to the table. But his foot has been a major problem.”
Along with Banks, and new nose tackle Domonique Orange, former first-round pick Dallas Turner will see a significant increase in his role in 2026.
Trevor Ripley Trevor Ripley is a Heavy writer covering the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and Arizona Cardinals. More about Trevor Ripley
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