Eagles Trade Labeled ‘Worst Offseason Move’ for Vikings

No NFL team has specialized in giving away great players the last few years more than the Minnesota Vikings, and the teams they deal with seem to have a knack for winning Super Bowls.

The Vikings famously let Pro Bowl quarterback Sam Darnold leave in free agency following the 2024 season and watched as he led the Seattle Seahawks to a Super Bowl win in 2025.

This year, the Vikings traded their best edge rusher, Jonathan Greenard, to the Philadelphia Eagles, and ESPN’s Bill Barnwell called it 1 of the NFL’s worst deals of the 2026 offseason.

The Eagles gave up a pair of 3rd-round picks for Greenard, then immediately signed him to a 4-year, $98 million contract extension.

“With Greenard wanting a new contract, a trade made sense,” Barnwell wrote. “However, defensive tackles like Quinnen Williams and Dexter Lawrence landed first-round picks in deals, and edge rusher Maxx Crosby (briefly) netted the Raiders two first-rounders. Did the Vikings really do themselves any favors by waiting until late April to deal Greenard? They landed only a pair of third-round picks from the Eagles. One of those picks was the 98th selection in this year’s draft, and it would be a surprise if the 2027 third-rounder landed anywhere before No. 90. Two late third-round picks isn’t a ton for a player as explosive as Greenard, who was still blowing by people on tape at less than 100 percent a year ago.”

Eagles Hit Home Run With Jonathan Greenard Trade

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman remains at the top of his game right now, and the contract he signed Greenard to seems to only speak to that genius.

Spotrac founder Michael Ginnitti recently laid out the details of Greenard’s 4-year, $98 million contract extension signed on April 24, and it’s truly something to behold.

“DE Jonathan Greenard’s Eagles Extension: 4-years, $98M base value, $50M fully guaranteed, Annual $500k escalator 4 void years for cap, 2-years, $50M practical (contract),” Ginnitti wrote on his official X account. “Cap Hits, 2026: $6.2M, 2027: $11.1M, 2028: $15.7M, 2029: $20.2M, 2030: $44.4M (void).”

Roseman solving Philadelphia’s central problem on defense by giving up the pair of 3rd round picks to get Greenard only adds to the lore. That he did it while avoiding a salary cap disaster — now or in the future — is just the icing on the cake.

Eagles Get Jonathan Greenard in His Prime

The Eagles are getting Greenard, 6-foot-3 and 259 pounds, in the prime of his career at just 28 years old.

Greenard had consecutive seasons with at least 12.0 sacks in 2023 and 2024, but saw those numbers dip in 2025 as he played through a shoulder injury that eventually required surgery.

The Eagles traded for Greenard to fill the void left by Jaelan Phillips, who left for a 4-year, $120 million free-agent contract with the Carolina Panthers — the largest free-agent contract for a non-skill player in NFL history.

“Jonathan Greenard is better, more productive and cheaper than Jaelan Phillips and doesn’t have the injury concerns Phillips has: Medically retired in college, torn ACL and torn achilles,” NFL reporter Chase Senior wrote on his official X account. “The Eagles also gave Greenard $50 million guaranteed LESS than the Panthers gave Phillips.”

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