The NFL Draft isn’t official unless Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is wheeling and dealing to make his team better, even at the expense of others.
Roseman was definitely doing all of that during Friday’s second round when he added veteran edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to bolster the team’s defense, which had lost Jaelan Phillips to the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
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The Vikings traded Greenard and the 244th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft to the Eagles in exchange for the 98th overall pick in this draft and a third-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.
Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is seen during Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
Immediately upon making the trade, OutKick confirmed that Greenard and the Eagles reached an agreement on a four-year contract extension worth $100 million. ESPN reported the extension includes $50 million fully guaranteed.
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So why did the Eagles do this?
Well, they just added a player who collected 27.5 sacks the past three seasons in Minnesota and Houston.
So they’re filling the void left by the departure of Phillips, who has 28 sacks in his entire five-year career.
Houston Texans’ Jonathan Greenard causes a fumble by Green Bay Packers’ Jordan Love during the first half of a preseason NFL game in Green Bay, Wis., on Aug. 14, 2021.
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And the Eagles did it at a cost savings because while they’re spending $100 million on Greenard, the Panthers signed Phillips for $120 million over four years with $80 million guaranteed.
The Vikings, it should be noted, aren’t typically in the business of trading away talent. But they were in a pickle because Greenard was demanding a raise on a contract that had two years remaining at an average of $19 million per season.
Greenard’s contract demands came despite the fact his sack total dipped to only three last season.
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The Vikings weren’t comfortable giving a player with multiple years left on his contract a raise after a subpar season. They also didn’t love the idea of enduring a possible contract holdout the entire offseason and possibly into training camp.
So when Roseman called, they picked up the phone and avoided all that distraction. But it helped make the Eagles better.
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