Getty Edge defender Jonathan Greenard.
The Minnesota Vikings have already made some hard decisions this offseason, some of which could come back to bite them in the not-so-distant future.
Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report put the signing of edge defender Jonathan Greenard to a four-year deal worth $76 million at the top of that list by naming him the team’s most overpaid player on Wednesday, April 10.
“I’m just saying there’s a chance the 26-year-old linebacker is a big-money bust as a free-agent addition in Minnesota,” Gagnon wrote. “He’s been held to two or fewer sacks in two of his first four NFL campaigns, but he is now making $19 million per year.”
Vikings OLB Jonathan Greenard Had Breakout Campaign in 2023
GettyEdge defender Jonathan Greenard, formerly of the Houston Texans, is now a member of the Minnesota Vikings.
Gagnon’s criticism isn’t entirely fair, as Greenard produced only 1.5 sacks with the Houston Texans in 2022, but played in just eight of 17 regular-season games due to a calf injury. His other non-productive season came during his rookie campaign in 2020, when the pass-rusher registered just 1.0 sack across 13 contests played, per Pro Football Reference.
However, Greenard broke out with 8 sacks during his sophomore campaign in 2021 and registered a career-high 12.5 sacks last year — his first on a truly competitive defense/team, as the Texans earned their way to the playoffs and defeated the Cleveland Browns handily over Super Wildcard Weekend.
Pro Football Focus (PFF) gave Greenard credit for 14 sacks last season, along with 48 total pressures and 24 hurries across 405 pass-rush snaps. PFF ranked Greenard 30th out of 112 edge defenders who saw enough snaps to qualify at the position in 2023.
Greenard will play next year at just 27 years old, while his contract in Minnesota will be up after his age-30 season, assuming the Vikings don’t terminate it for whatever reason before then.
Vikings, Texans Swapped Edge Rushers in Jonathan Greenard, Danielle Hunter During Free Agency
GettyFormer Minnesota Vikings edge rusher Danielle Hunter is now a member of the Houston Texans.
Minnesota’s other choice was to keep premier pass rusher Danielle Hunter in-house on a new and pricey contract after he put up the fourth Pro Bowl campaign of his career in 2023 on the strength of 16.5 sacks and a league-leading 23 tackles for loss.
Ironically, Hunter left to replace Greenard on the Texans’ defense, signing a two-year deal worth $49 million, while Greenard filled in the spot vacated by Hunter on the Vikings’ edge. The main differences are that Hunter will turn 30 next season and the Texans guaranteed $48 million on his two-year deal, while Greenard is three years younger and the Vikings guaranteed him only $38 million total over four years.
Hunter has not recently dealt with injury, though he missed all of the 2020 campaign due to a neck injury and played in just seven games in 2021 due to a torn pectoral.
Along with Hunter, the Vikings also let pass rusher Marcus Davenport walk in free agency after just one year with the team. Minnesota paid Davenport $13 million in 2023, though injuries sidelined him for all but four games, in which he produced only 2.0 sacks.
The Vikings replaced Davenport with Andrew Van Ginkel, formerly of the Miami Dolphins, who will play outside linebacker in Minnesota on a two-year contract worth $20 million total.