In a blockbuster move during the second night of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Minnesota Vikings sent defensive end Jonathan Greenard packing to the Philadelphia Eagles. But the real headline? The Eagles quickly locked him down with a massive four-year, $100 million contract—a deal that's now turning heads across the league.
Let's break down the numbers, courtesy of a source with inside knowledge. The contract is structured with a mix of guaranteed money, bonuses, and performance incentives that could pay off big for the pass rusher.
The Financial Play-by-Play:
- 2026 Base Salary: $1.215 million, fully guaranteed.
- 2026 Per-Game Roster Bonus: $510,000 total, fully guaranteed but must be earned by suiting up each week.
- 2027 Option Bonus: A hefty $22.905 million, fully guaranteed.
- 2027 Workout Bonus: $240,000, fully guaranteed but earned through participation.
- 2027 Base Salary: $1.345 million, fully guaranteed.
- 2027 Per-Game Roster Bonus: Another $510,000, fully guaranteed but game-day dependent.
But that's not all. Greenard can earn up to $500,000 in escalators each year from 2027 to 2029 if he earns First-Team All-Pro honors in the preceding season. That's a sweet incentive for a player who's already proven his worth on the edge.
Here's where it gets interesting: this four-year deal replaces the two years and $38 million left on Greenard's previous contract. With a base value of $98 million, the extension essentially boils down to a new-money average of $29.5 million per year over those two extra years. That's a serious pay raise for a defensive end who's become a cornerstone of the Eagles' pass rush.
The contract includes $50 million fully guaranteed at signing, with team-held options for 2028 and 2029. In practical terms, the Vikings could have kept Greenard for the next two years by bumping his pay from $39 million to $50 million and guaranteeing every penny upfront. The extra $48 million over the final two years could have been added without immediate cost, giving Minnesota flexibility to move on after 2027 if needed.
So why didn't the Vikings pull the trigger? With the pass rusher market now flirting with $50 million per year, it's a fair question. But for Eagles fans, the answer is simple: they landed a game-changer who's ready to wreak havoc in the NFC East—and he's got the contract to prove it.
