The Jonathan Greenard Pay Raise, Trade Riddle, and Pass Rusher’s Problem
Pretty comfortably, Jonathan Greenard is a strong EDGE1. He therefore has a strong claim on securing a pay raise even though he’s coming off a modest season.
Part of what’s hurting his leverage is that he’s not his team’s best edge rusher.
Andrew Van Ginkel, the former Dolphin, is now Minnesota’s top weapon off the edge. He does everything well even if his sack numbers don’t always match what Greenard can toss up. Worse yet for Greenard is that Dallas Turner is getting better (even if he has a long way to go). Kicking out the comparison to a league-wide perspective helps to further clarify the issue in front of the veteran edge rusher.
The Jonathan Greenard Riddle
In May, Jonathan Greenard will arrive at his 29th birthday. He’s getting close to a time when he no longer has the capacity to demand meaty money. Edge rushers tend to age better than running backs, but climbing into one’s 30s generally limits the bargaining position.
Bolstering his case for a raise is that he has proven to be a complete defender in Minnesota. He’s rugged and plays with tremendous effort. In 2024, the pass rusher had 59 tackles to stand alongside the 12 sacks, 22 quarterback hits, 18 tackles for loss, and 4 forced fumbles. A Pro Bowl honor followed.
Of course, Greenard wasn’t able to match those numbers in 2025, finishing the year with 38 tackles, 3 sacks, 12 QB hits, 10 tackles for loss, and 1 forced fumble. Part of the problem was injury; part of the problem was being unable to finish sacks even after beating the offensive tackle.
Where does that leave him when journeying toward the negotiating table?
One way of understanding the issue is by placing Jonathan Greenard alongside his counterparts. NFL contracts are contextual. Taking a look at where his most direct peers sit — fellow NFL players who are playing the same position — offers a clue as to what kind of deal could get across the finish line.
To begin, note the edge rushers who are better than Greenard. These are the NFL’s true game wreckers, the elite options who inspire nightmares:
- Myles Garrett
- Micah Parsons
- Will Anderson
- Danielle Hunter
- Aidan Hutchinson
At the risk of underestimating the combativeness of the internet, I take it as a given that those players are all accepted as being better than Greenard. The going rate for one of those elite edge rushers is at $40 million per year or above.
Next up would be the NFL’s very good edge rushers who most would regard as being better:
- Maxx Crosby
- T.J. Watt
- Trey Hendrickson
- Nick Bosa
- Brian Burns
- Nik Bonitto
- Jared Verse
- Andrew Van Ginkel
- Josh Hines-Allen
Quite possibly, Jonathan Greenard belongs in that category. He’s very, very good. Do note, though, that it’s not entirely clear. At the very least, the top players above are recognized as being better.
Crosby came ultra close to being acquired for a pair of 1st-Round selections, a very pricey haul. Meanwhile, Greenard hasn’t yet generated the rumored Day 2 selection(s) to get stolen away from the Vikings. The NFL has therefore said much about its understanding of these two.
Moreover, there’s a collection of young, high-end talent at the position that may be more desirable to teams around the NFL both due to having a longer runway to play and often being cheaper. Consider players such as Laiatu Latu, Kayvon Thibodeaux, Abdul Carter, George Karlaftis, Byron Young, Nick Herbig, and Tuli Tuipulotu (among others).
Soon enough, the draft is going to offer up others — Arvell Reese, Rueben Bain, and so on — who could slot in ahead, as well.
Add it all up and Jonathan Greenard may be viewed as a top-25 edge rusher rather than a top-10 or even top-15 edge rusher in the NFL. As a result, the path forward could involve doing what Minnesota did with Van Ginkel: an added season with guaranteed cash sitting within the $22-$25 million range.
Jonathan Greenard is one of the key pieces of Minnesota’s roster, part of the solution toward winning in 2026. He offers great on-field play while also being a leader who is rugged and who works very hard. Minnesota is reluctant to meet his price, though, meaning there’s some lingering mystery around the pass rusher.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference, PFF, and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
