It finally happened. On Friday, in the middle of the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings agreed to a trade that sent edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles.
In exchange for Greenard and a 2026 seventh-round pick (244th overall), the Vikings received an additional third-round selection on Friday (98th overall) and a 2027 third-round pick from the Eagles.
In addition, Philadelphia agreed to give the veteran edge rusher a new four-year contract extension worth $100 million, with $50 million guaranteed, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.
Grade the Trade: Minnesota Vikings send Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles on Day 2 of the NFL Draft
So what sort of grade should Minnesota be given for the long-expected trade they finally completed with the Eagles on Friday?
Well, to help in figuring that out, we should probably mention that the departure of Greenard created $12.25 million in salary cap space for the Vikings this year and another $22.3 million in cap space in 2027, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune's Ben Goessling.
Looking back at some similar trades that have happened in the last few offseasons, it seems like Minnesota was able to acquire a return package that is better than the norm.
Greenard will be turning 29 next month, but we'll also include some recent trades that involved 28-year-old edge rushers to compare them to the deal the Vikings made on Friday.
Back in March, the Green Bay Packers sent 28-year-old edge rusher Rashan Gary to the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2027 fourth-round draft pick. Last November, the Tennessee Titans traded 28-year-old pass rusher Dre'Mont Jones to the Baltimore Ravens for a conditional 2026 fifth-round selection.
Before the start of the 2024 season, the New England Patriots dealt 31-year-old edge defender Matthew Judon to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2025 third-round draft pick. A few months before that, the Eagles acquired a 2026 third-round selection from the New York Jets in exchange for 29-year-old pass rusher Haason Reddick.
So, based on these recent trades, let's say the average return for a player like Greenard at his age has typically been one future third-round pick. Well, Minnesota didn't just acquire one third-round selection on Friday; they landed two, which means that they received an above-average return package.
Add in the fact that the Vikings also cleared more than $30 million in cap space over the next two years, and the team deserves to be recognized for finding a way to land a solid return for a player who likely wasn't even going to play for them next season without a new contract.
Final Grade: B+
Would it have been nice for Minnesota to acquire a second-round pick for Greenard? Sure, but that was always going to be difficult to do based on his current age and the fact that he wanted a pay raise.
Still, the Vikings found a way to trade him and acquire valuable assets that can help the team accomplish its goals over the next few seasons and beyond.
Add us as a preferred source on Google