The Detroit Lions have lost several notable players since the end of the 2025 season, including veteran offensive lineman Taylor Decker and linebacker Alex Anzalone - to name a few. One potential way to make up for those key departures would be to make a trade for another talented player who has been rumored to be let go by the Minnesota Vikings.
Jonathan Greenard, who is set to turn 29 in May, appeared to post videos at the team's facility on Monday in light of the trade speculation. He reportedly wants a bump in pay with two years left on his contract, and the Vikings have been taking calls, but it does not make sense to trade a player who had 12 sacks in 2024 and is entering his age-29 season unless there is an offer that blows them away.
Greenard's posts on Monday make it feel like a trade is not imminent, leading to hope that the two sides could reach a short-term solution similar to the ones current interim general manager Rob Brzezinski had orchestrated with Danielle Hunter during his time in Minnesota. The team restructured his contract in 2021 and signed him to a one-year, $20 million deal two years later, an approach they would be wise to use with Greenard, considering his talent and less-than-ideal offers from other teams.
Potential Jonathan Greenard Trade Does Not Seem Likely
The 2025 season did not go as expected for Greenard, who struggled with only three sacks and saw his season come to an early end due to a shoulder injury. However, he had been a force to be reckoned with up to that point. In his first three seasons with the Houston Texans from 2020-22, Greenard amassed 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one interception.
His final season with Houston in 2023, though, was his best yet. Greenard had a career-high 52 tackles and 12.5 sacks, but that was only the start of what was ahead as he made the transition to the Vikings in 2024. During that season, Greenard set a new personal best with 59 tackles and had 12 sacks, four forced fumbles, 18 tackles for loss, and finished third in the league with 80 pressures during an All-Pro-caliber season.
Even in a 2025 season that was cut short by a shoulder injury, Greenard was one of seven players on the team with at least three sacks, once again proving how valuable he is when he is on the field. If another team is willing to pay up for him and give the Vikings what they are asking, a trade cannot be ruled out. With that said, they would not have brought Kyler Murray in at quarterback if they were not trying to win in 2026, so it would not make much sense at all to trade their best defensive player, especially if his production returns to form following the injury.
The Lions have already made some moves in free agency and may not be done yet, but it is hard to imagine Greenard being someone they can realistically target. Sure, he would be a huge addition to an already stout LB corps, but it would not be in the Vikings' best interest to give him up.