Eagles Land EDGE Jonathan Greenard In Big Draft Night Trade
Howie Roseman is always reliable to make big trades in the draft. Not just to move up or move down, though he does that too. But more often than not,…
Howie Roseman is always reliable to make big trades in the draft. Not just to move up or move down, though he does that too. But more often than not, he will trade picks at some point in the draft to add proven NFL talent. This year, he took a big swing during the 2nd round, shortly after using the Eagles' own pick that round. The Eagles have sent the Vikings two 3rd round picks in exchange for Edge Rusher Jonathan Greenard.
On top of that trade, the Eagle also locked Greenard into a 4-year deal worth $100 million. Edge Rusher was a massive need for the Eagles leading into the draft. They saw Jaelan Phillips leave in the off-season, and it left them very thin at the position.
What Jonathan Greenard Brings To The Eagles
Now, they land someone with massive upside to round out the position. 2025 was rough for him. He battled injuries and was not his usual self when on the field. But he had 24.5 sacks in the prior two seasons between the Vikings and the Texans.
And now, he joins a D-Line well-suited to take pressure off the Edge Rushers. Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, and Moro Ojomo inside demand a ton of attention. We saw Jaelan Phillips excel once he joined the Eagles.
But, as is important in a Vic Fangio defense, Greenard is not just a pass rusher. He is also one of the league's premier run defenders off the Edge. We have seen Fangio refuse to use Edge Rushers, even very expensive ones, who do not play the run well.
In the 2024-2025 season, Greenard was one of just two Edge Rushers with 10+ Sacks, 50+ Pressures, and 25+ run stops.
He joins an Edge Rush room that includes Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt. Both have shown potential, but have not shown the ability to be premier Edge Rushers. Now they don't need to be. Greenard joins the team with the expectation to be that guy.
It is another big swing by Howie. He gives up a 3rd this year and next year, and pays decent money to Greenard. But if Greenard regains his form from 2 seasons ago, he looks like a bargain. And even in a down year, his actual play was still pretty good; he just did not rack up as many sacks.
