The Minnesota Vikings have to answer some existential questions during the 2026 offseason. J.J. McCarthy's future is uncertain as Minnesota seeks out a veteran backup. Meanwhile, the Vikings already fired general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah after letting Sam Darnold get away. Now Minnesota is mulling over trading one of its veteran defenders simply to ease its cap burden.
The Vikings are now open to trading edge rusher Jonathan Greenard just one week before the start of the new league year. ESPN's Adam Schefter noted that Minnesota would like to keep Greenard, but salary cap issues have led to the Vikings engaging in trade talks.
Schefter couldn't be more right about Minnesota's perilous salary cap situation.
The Vikings are currently $46.49 million over the 2026 salary cap. Minnesota has already announced that the organization will cut Javon Hargrave and Aaron Jones to get some cap space back. Unfortunately, they would still be ~$28 million in the red after those moves become official.
If the Vikings do trade Greenard, they will get another $12.25 million in salary cap relief. It won't singlehandedly solve their problems, but it could be a big help.
But which NFL teams would even be interested in Greenard? Three teams stand out as the best landing spots for the veteran edge rusher now that he's on the trade block.
The Cowboys could be down to make a splashy trade this offseason
Dallas is ready to make some noise during the 2026 offseason.
The Cowboys have an extra first-round pick burning a hole in their pocket after trading away Micah Parsons. Jerry Jones even declared the team could be more active than usual in free agency this offseason.
One reason why Dallas could be interested in Greenard is because they are transitioning to a 3-4 defense. The Cowboys hired former Eagles defensive backs coach Christian Parker as their new defensive coordinator back in January. That should mean plenty of changes to their defensive front.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer made it clear that the changes could be sweeping.
“To be very clear: this 3-4 defense is not the old 2-gap, where you sit there, and you're reading blocks. We will be getting vertical, and we will be using our hands and shedding,” Schottenheimer said in a recent interview.
Greenard is an ideal fit as an outside linebacker/edge rusher in a 3-4 scheme.
The Cowboys only have James Houston on the roster at the position, which shows just how much work they have to do.
This move makes a ton of sense for Dallas as long as they can free up $19 million in cap space for Greenard's current contract.
Buffalo needs an upgrade amid their switch to a 3-4 defense
The Bills are another team that will be transitioning to a 3-4 defensive front this offseason.
Buffalo got wiped out in the playoffs once again last season, and their defense was part of the problem. Most expect the Bills to make some aggressive moves to upgrade on defense, both in free agency and at the 2026 NFL Draft, even if Greenard's $19 million cap hit is a concern.
Buffalo is still $8.28 million over the 2026 salary cap. There are a few moves that could easily save the Bills some cap space this offseason. But will they be enough to afford Greenard in addition to other players?
Still, Greenard's combination of strong coverage skills and ability to get after the quarterback could make him very enticing for Buffalo. Perhaps the Bills could make this work if they revise Greenard's contract after acquiring him.
Could Greenard take Carolina's defense to the next level?
Finally, there's the Carolina Panthers.
No scheme change here as the Panthers have been a 3-4 defense for years. Instead, the Panthers may want Greenard as a final piece of their defensive front.
Carolina already has a solid foundation of young players at edge rusher. They spent premium draft picks on Nic Scourton and Princely Umanmielen during the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Panthers are set to lose veteran D.J. Wonnum, a former Viking, to free agency. Greenard would not just be a replacement; he would be a huge upgrade over Wonnum.
Carolina only has $9.29 million in cap space headed into free agency. They could easily make enough room to add Greenard with some salary cap gymnastics.
The biggest question surrounding Carolina is whether or not they'll be willing to give up enough draft capital to acquire Greenard.
