The Vikings’ Jonathan Greenard Decision Isn’t Easy
The Minnesota Vikings have been relatively quiet this offseason. They brought in James Pierre at the beginning of free agency, but haven’t done anything of substance since. That’s not entirely surprising for a team that had so many salary cap hurdles to jump over, but it does paint something of an uncertain picture.
Right now, Kevin O’Connell and Rob Brzezinski have nine draft picks at their disposal in April. How they utilize those remains to be seen, but there are more than a few spots on the roster that still need addressing.
Greenard’s Situation Forces a Difficult Call
Among the places that look largely set is the edge rushing group. While Jonathan Greenard’s name has been floated in trade talks this offseason, it doesn’t feel like there’s much steam for a move. Wanting a bloated contract from a new team, coming off an injured year, has virtually been a non-starter.
This means that Greenard is likely to return for the Vikings. He’ll pair with Andrew Van Ginkel and Dallas Turner as top talents on the edge once again. It’s worth wondering if that’s the most desirable outcome, though.
First and foremost, Greenard is an exceptional talent, but he played in just 12 games a season ago and recorded only three sacks. Even accounting for the time he missed due to injury, he wasn’t as effective on the field.
There’s plenty of reason to believe a healthy Greenard can bounce back in a big way. He racked up 12 sacks during his first season in Minnesota and made the first Pro Bowl of his career. He’ll need to show that level of production again if the Vikings don’t want it to become painful watching Dallas Turner sit and get little more than rotational reps.
Beyond production and depth chart considerations, there’s also the opportunity cost of keeping Greenard. He has a cap number of more than $22 million. Moving him, presumably for a first or second-round pick, would free up space and allow the Vikings to allocate resources to other needs on the roster.
At this point, the free-agent market is largely picked over, but pick capital could help further address the interior defensive line, the safety position, or other areas of need. Instead, Greenard adds to a rush room that is essentially an embarrassment of riches and needs to play at a clip that makes it look that way.
You’re never going to turn down keeping a talented player. It’s hard not to question whether the roster without Greenard and the dominoes from that move isn’t a more desirable outcome, though.
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