The Minnesota Vikings sprung several surprises at the draft. They shocked everyone by taking Caleb Banks with the 18th-overall pick, then traded Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles for a 2026 and a 2027 third-round pick.
Many Vikings fans were unhappy with this move, but perhaps they should reconsider their appreciation.
The Vikings might not have the “hardware” a player sees once they walk into the building. Still, after multiple years of disappointing drafts under Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, Rob Brzezinski, and Kevin O’Connell may have put together a trade that benefited the Vikings in more ways than one.
The reality is that the winners of this trade were the Vikings, Dallas Turner, and the future. (And, sure, probably Jonathan Greenard too.)
The Vikings
The biggest concern coming into the 2026 season was Minnesota’s cap situation.
Trading Greenard didn’t fully eliminate the cap hit. Still, it freed up $12.25 million in needed space for the Vikings to potentially target bigger names as this free-agency process continues.
With the 2026 third-round pick from the Eagles, they selected Jakobe Thomas out of Miami. Meanwhile, there also seemed to be a regression in Greenard’s play.
Greenard had a healthy 2024 season, starting every game. However, last year he missed some time due to a shoulder injury. Not just that, he didn’t start every game he played in (12 games, 10 starts).
In the 2024 season, Greenard totaled 59 tackles (18 for a loss), 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, and 22 hits on the quarterback. As a result, he made the Pro Bowl. Last year, Greenard finished with 38 tackles (10 for loss), only three sacks, one forced fumble, and hit the quarterback only 12 times.
However, he often failed to complete plays in pivotal situations.
The Eagles overpaid for Greenard, who will make $50 million guaranteed on the contract. Another reason the Vikings were wise to move on from him.
Brzezinski might be right when he said that this move does not make the Vikings a better team. However, there is one player who will have his chance to prove even more that the Vikings made the right decision in moving on.
Dallas Turner
In 2024, the Minnesota Vikings selected Dallas Turner as the 17th-overall pick of the draft. Turner will have a lot to say now that Greenard is out of the picture.
Turner also coincidentally started 10 games in 2025 and may have outshone Greenard in those opportunities. Granted, Turner played all 17 games of the season, tallying 66 tackles (11 for loss), eight sacks, four forced fumbles, and 15 quarterback hits.
But the stat that really stands out is the missed-tackle percentages between the two. Turner only missed 7% of his tackles (five out of 66) while Greenard missed 15.6% (seven out of 38), over double the rate with far fewer tries.
If Turner can maintain that pace and further prove his worth in a more prominent role, it validates two of Minnesota’s player assessments, all while saving them money.
The Future
As stated earlier, the Vikings gained two draft picks and more cap space after the trade, allowing them to add more talent at a lower price tag that they can further develop.
With the first third-round pick from the Eagles, the Vikings were able to grab the safety they needed in Thomas. While Thomas’ tackling issues are a concern, his style of play and willingness to learn may be the biggest assets in a Bryan Flores-led defense.
Add him into the mix with the other rookies the team selected in the draft, plus the potential for more talent added throughout free agency — that’s an exciting infusion of youth on a team that could really use it. Given the funds made available from the Greenard trade and other moves, the future of this team looks brighter, regardless of the naysayers focusing on the short term.
Jonathan Greenard played a vital role in his time with the Vikings, no doubt. While this end feels more like getting hydrogen peroxide splashed in an open wound — especially given the statements made by both the player and the team — we may look back on this and appreciate the healing benefits of that peroxide.
In his first two seasons with the Vikings, Dallas Turner has made his mark on the team. He’s rewarding the team with his versatile play and showing steady improvement. He’s part of the future of this franchise, and that’s what this trade was focused on: the future. It was the right call.
