The Minnesota Vikings have agreed to sign Houston Texans edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, according to Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero of NFL media.
It’s a four-year, $76 million deal featuring $42 million in guarantees, per ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
Greenard is coming off of a breakout 2023 campaign in which he played in 15 games and racked up 52 tackles, 12.5 sacks and a forced fumble.
The fact that the Vikings have agreed to terms with Greenard indicates that they have thrown in the white flag on fellow edge rusher Danielle Hunter, who is arguably the best pass rusher on the open market.
If Minnesota is resigned to losing Hunter, Greenard is a fine replacement.
The 26-year-old, who played his collegiate football at both Louisville and the University of Florida, was selected by the Texans in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
He appeared in 13 contests during his rookie year and barely made an impact, logging just 19 tackles and a sack. The following year, Greenard’s role grew, as he registered 33 tackles, eight sacks, a couple of forced fumbles and eight passes defended in 12 games.
Then, in 2022, Greenard was limited to just eight contests due to injuries. During his time on the field, he posted 16 tackles, 1.5 sacks, an interception, a fumble recovery and a defensive touchdown in what was ultimately a very disappointing season for the pass rusher.
Obviously, Greenard broke through this past year, which led to him becoming a rather hot commodity ahead of free agency.
Of course, there are health concerns with Greenard, who has never played a full season and participated in only 20 games in total between 2021 and 2022.
But there is no question that when he is healthy, Greenard is a terrific player and should unquestionably help fill the eventual void that will be left by Hunter in Minnesota.
It also helps that Jonathan Greenard is a few years younger than Hunter, so he has the opportunity to grow into something special with the Vikings.
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