The NFL chatter has shifted to the offseason for most teams. The Vikings are among them, leading to all kinds of speculation about the status of DC Brian Flores, the need for enhancing the quarterback spot, and the salary cap shuffle.
Much remains to be determined.
But what of firing edge rusher Jonathan Greenard? That one comes across as supremely unlikely even if the numbers alone leave something to be desired. The basic reality of Greenard’s ongoing job security didn’t limit his status on the cut candidates list to get published on Over the Cap.
The NFL Cut Chatter Brings Jonathan Greenard into Mix
Nick Korte is the architect of the list of 100 NFL players who could get axed.
Taking such a broad look at the NFL’s financial outlook inevitably leads to being a mile wide and an inch deep. Korte can’t be faulted for not having a fully nuanced take on things. At some point, he needs to introduce some sort of standard cut off as a way of determining which players get included.
Consider what the author had to say (the bold is Korte’s own): “As always, it is stressed that most players on this list will likely not be cut. There are many mitigating factors as to why players show up on this list. One of course is injury, particularly to players who missed most of the season–although it can also be an aggravating factor if the team determines that injury has made the player unreliable on his contract. Quality of roster depth at the player’s position is another. Teams are also always willing and able to break the trends of contract fate and keep players they think will be helpful for next season’s roster. Common sense needs to be applied as to which players on this list are unlikely to be cut, even if it’s informative to see them on the list.”
Dropped down at 50th overall is Jonathan Greenard. He is, after all, coming off a very disappointing year.
The Vikings’ top pass rusher is entering the third year of his four-year agreement that he came to in the 2024 offseason. The total compensation came in at $76 million, a total that delivers some sticker shock until taking a look under the hood.
Making just $19 million per season is modest for an EDGE1 in the NFL. The high-end of the market sees players making more than double that yearly average. Doubling Greenard’s yearly compensation would be $38 million; all of Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Aidan Hutchinson, and Micah Parsons hit and/or surpass $40 million per season. All of these players are better than Greenard; crucially, they’re not more than twice as effective.
So, sending Greenard $19 million per season is no reason to lose sleep within the context of the league’s edge rusher deals.
Even still, there’s at least some merit in exploring the reality of a tough 2025. He’s coming off a season where he had 38 tackles, 3 sacks, 12 quarterback hits, 10 tackles for loss, 3 passes defended, and 1 forced fumble. Rising above all of those statistic is the sacks, or lack thereof. Greenard got hired to drop down 10+ sacks, so seeing the number so modest is indeed notable.
What’s needed — as Nick Korte wisely points out within his piece — is some understanding of the context.
For starters, Jonathan Greenard was still among the more disruptive pass rushers in the NFL. He didn’t top the sack stat column but he routinely got into the backfield. In basketball terms, Greenard saw more than his fair share of shots roll around the rim before falling to the floor. In hockey terms, Greenard kept beating the goalie but continually hits the post. In football terms, Greenard got to the quarterback — often getting his mitts on the passer — but seldom took the quarterback to the ground.
No doubt, the Vikings’ edge rusher needs to be better, but the good news is that offensive tackles struggled to corral him.
And then there’s the other reality: being hurt. The pass rusher played at less than 100% before eventually getting shut down for the year. He missed five full games and was limited in others. Being available for all of the games in 2026 will go a long way in seeing the elite statistics restored.
Other Vikings players to be included within the NFL cut candidates are running back Aaron Jones, center Ryan Kelly, tight end T.J. Hockenson, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, linebacker Blake Cashman, and corner Isaiah Rodgers.
More broadly, the roster has various other questions to answer. Within the uncertainty, remain confident that Jonathan Greenard will be employed by the Vikings in 2026.
I’m the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]purpleptsd[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.
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