Many Minnesota Vikings fans were worried when they traded away edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles back in April. Still, as the months roll on, it keeps looking better and better.
During the 2026 NFL Draft, the Vikings took a risk by trading Greenard to the Eagles in exchange for two third-round picks. Despite injuries in 2025, he was a Pro Bowler in 2024 and recorded 24.5 sacks over 2023 and 2024.
Minnesota put all their marbles on Dallas Turner becoming the star edge rusher they were hoping he would be. Well, it turns out Turner is not only a star in the making, but their 2027 draft pick from the Eagles might also hold the key to striking a deal at the trade deadline.
Vikings look like geniuses for trading away Jonathan Greenard
First off, Greenard has been a massive bust for the Eagles. Pectoral and ankle injuries have already cost him three games this season, and he missed all of training camp because of the pectoral injury he suffered while lifting weights.
What has Greenard done in Philly? He has five pressures, three hurries, two tackles, one quarterback hit, and one forced fumble. In the last 40 pass-rushing snaps across three games, he has one pressure. That's it.
As for the Vikings' young sack master, Turner is pacing for a career season in Minneapolis, exactly what the team was dreaming of. He has posted 37 pressures, 20 tackles, 19 quarterback hits, 18 hurries, six sacks, five tackles for loss, and two forced fumbles in seven games.
Pro Football Focus has Turner graded at a 70.1 overall, ranking 37th out of 110 edge rushers. He also has a pass-rush grade of 74.2 (ranked 19th) and a run-defense grade of 61.6 (ranked 69th).
This has truly been a tale of two seasons, going in completely different directions for Turner and Greenard. The Eagles' misfortune with Greenard could really help the Vikings in the next week, depending on how the chips fall.
How the Jonathan Greenard trade might help Vikings out at the trade deadline
Vikings really need to send a fruit basket to Greenard for really helping the team out, as the Eagles have completely fallen off a cliff in 2026. Philly is currently sitting at 2-6 this season and on a six-game losing streak.
This is fantastic news for the Vikings, as that 2027 third-round pick from the Eagles could become a top-five selection in the round. That would place them in the high 60s and low 70s for that pick.
Minnesota could use that top-90 selection in a big way at the trade deadline. The Vikings could go after big names like Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor. Minnesota could package that third-round pick with a second-rounder to land Taylor.
Over the next week, the Vikings might include that Eagles draft pick in trade talks. If they can't, they might hold on to an incredibly valuable pick for the future, but they should throw it into any trade deadline deal they can to get a great player on the team.
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