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USA Today’s Ayrton Ostly named the Philadelphia Eagles a potential trade landing spot for Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard.
The Philadelphia Eagles will have a hole at edge rusher if trade acquisition Jaelan Phillips departs in NFL free agency. The expectation is that will happen. On Tuesday, though, another edge rusher became available for the Eagles on the trade market — Jonathan Greenard.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Tuesday the Minnesota Vikings “are now open to trading” the 28-year-old.
“They would like to keep Greenard, but they also have salary cap issues they’re working through that have led to these trade conversations,” wrote Schefter on social media.
Following that report, USA Today’s Ayrton Ostly named the Eagles one of five potential landing spots for Greenard.
“Philadelphia may end up not wanting to fork over the money Phillips may command in free agency,” wrote Ostly. “If so, acquiring a proven veteran with a stockpile of draft picks could ensure the team doesn’t slip from the top of the NFC East.”
Ostly was not specific about what draft capital the Eagles could send to Minnesota for Greenard. But including compensatory selections, Philadelphia will have at least six picks from rounds 3-5.
“Philadelphia has extra picks in the middle rounds they could ship over to Minnesota for Greenard, especially if they take on his full compensation – or close to it – for 2026,” wrote Ostly.
Greenard struggled in 2025 and then missed the end of the season because of a shoulder injury. But from 2023-24 combined, he posted 24.5 sacks, earning a Pro Bowl bid in 2024.
Thanks to his breakout 2023 campaign, Greenard signed a 4-year, $76 million contract with the Vikings in free agency.
Why Jonathan Greenard Could Fit With the Eagles
The Eagles are always looking for additional pass rushers. So, it’s unwise to count Howie Roseman out of the running with any veteran edge rusher on the trade market.
If Greenard returns to his 2024 form, he would be a great addition with Philadelphia. Greenard received Defensive Player of the Year voting points two years ago.
It’s worth wondering if the Eagles could afford him. Should Phillips leave in free agency, it will be because the Eagles don’t offer him a long-term deal.
Will Philadelphia be able to turn around and take on Greenard’s contract? Ostly was confident that if the Eagles wanted to, they could.
“The Eagles are in a separate tier when it comes to manipulating the salary cap compared to the rest of the league,” wrote Ostly. “If they want to make it work, Howie Roseman and company have the track record to do it.”
With the Vikings, Greenard is set to have a $22.15 million cap hit in 2026. He will also have a $22.3 million cap hit next season, which is the final year of his contract.
How Much Will Greenard Cost in Vikings Trade?
Ostly argued the Eagles are a potential landing spot for Greenard because they have extra “middle round” picks.
As of March 4, the Eagles have five total 2026 selections — one in each round from 1-5. But the NFL has yet to announce compensatory picks. When that occurs, the Eagles could receive up to another four selections in rounds 3-5.
In summary, Ostly appears to see Philadelphia being able to package multiple picks from rounds 3-5 in a trade for Greenard.
However, that might not be the reality.
The Athletic’s Alec Lewis reported even though Minnesota has made Greenard available, that doesn’t mean the team simply wants to dump him.
“The Vikings greatly value what he means to their defense, and if they were to trade him, they would have to receive a sizable return in draft capital,” Lewis wrote. “The team acquiring Greenard would also have to sign him to a new deal.”
It’s not clear what “sizable return in draft capital” really means. But most pundits probably wouldn’t describe compensatory picks and/or early Day 3 selections as a “sizable return.”
Greenard needing a new deal is also an important detail. That could be as expensive as simply re-signing Phillips would be.
The Eagles would really have to prefer Greenard over Phillips to give up “sizable” draft capital and then ink him to a new contract instead of just re-signing Phillips.
These details make it far from a guarantee the Eagles will trade for Greenard. But the possibility is intriguing and allows for Roseman to have another option with the team’s pass rush this offseason.
Dave Holcomb is a sports reporter covering the NFL and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions. Originally from Pittsburgh, Holcomb has covered college and professional sports for outlets including FanSided, Rotowire and Yardbarker. More about Dave Holcomb
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