The Green Bay Packers are scooping up a two-time Pro Bowl veteran and recent Minnesota Vikings cap casualty to help reinforce their defensive line in 2026.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Packers reached an agreement on March 11 with former Vikings defensive tackle Javon Hargrave on a two-year, $23 million free-agent contract that includes $13 million in compensation for the 2026 NFL season.
“From Minnesota to Green Bay: Former Vikings DT Javon Hargrave reached agreement today on a 2-year deal for $23 million, including $13 million this year, with the Packers, per [agent] Drew Rosenhaus,” Schefter wrote on X on Wednesday afternoon.
Hargrave — who turned 33 in February — has seen his production decline in the two years since his last Pro Bowl season for the San Francisco 49ers in 2023, but he has 49 career sacks and has started 130 games in his 10 seasons in the league. While his run defense is a growing weakness, he remains a reasonably effective veteran pass rusher.
The Packers needed more defensive tackle depth after agreeing to trade 2025 starter Colby Wooden to the Indianapolis Colts for veteran linebacker Zaire Franklin this week. Given the money that the Packers are paying him, expectations are that he will start for their defensive interior in 2026 alongside former first-round star Devonte Wyatt.
Javon Hargrave Has Philly Ties to Packers’ New DC
The Packers crossed off another primary need on their offseason to-do list with their reported deal for Hargrave, and while he is no longer the same player he was when he made two Pro Bowls, he has a direct tie to new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.
Hargrave had the two most productive seasons of his career in 2021 and 2022 when he overlapped with Gannon with the Philadelphia Eagles, combining for 18.5 sacks — with a career-high 11.5 in 2022 — 132 total tackles (19 for loss) and two forced fumbles. He also missed only one game during his two years together with Gannon in Philadelphia.
Gannon could devise multiple ways to get Hargrave on the field, but he should prove especially useful in 3-4 defensive looks alongside fellow 300-plus-pounders in Wyatt and Warren Brinson, a 2025 sixth-rounder expected to take on a larger role in 2026.
Packers Likely to Hedge Bets at DT in 2026 NFL Draft
The Packers have a more competent defensive interior after signing Hargrave, but don’t be surprised if Green Bay continues to look for high-end personnel in the 2026 draft.
Hargrave offers a short-term solution for the Packers, but his age (33) and play over the past few seasons make him a bit of a gamble that could backfire and result in him not playing out the entirety of his two-year deal. Meanwhile, the Packers must also figure out whether to extend Wyatt — who suffered a season-ending injury in late November — as he prepares to potentially play the 2026 season on his $12.9 million fifth-year option.
There is a world where both Hargrave and Wyatt pan out beyond 2026, but the Packers should still consider hedging their bets with a premium talent if they identify one they like in the 2026 NFL draft, even if it means using their top pick in the second round.
An ideal fit like Texas Tech’s Lee Hunter might not make it to them at No. 52 overall in the second round, but they will have several other options in Rounds 2 and 3, including — potentially — Oklahoma’s Gracen Halton and Cincinnati’s Dontay Coreleone.
Packers Sign $23 Million Deal With 2-Time Pro Bowl Rival DT