Vikings trade edge rusher Greenard to the Eagles



Jonathan Greenard

The Minnesota Vikings traded edge rusher Jonathan Greenard to the Philadelphia Eagles for two third-round picks, one this year and one next year, in a future-looking move on the second night of the NFL draft on Friday.

The Vikings sent the 2024 Pro Bowler and one of their three seventh-round picks this year, 244th overall, to the Eagles for the 98th overall selection this year and a third-rounder in 2027.

“We just felt like we had a really good D-line, but we wanted to elevate it to another level,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said.

The 28-year-old Greenard, who had been seeking a new contract and a trade if he didn't get one from the Vikings, subsequently agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension including $50 million in fully guaranteed money, his agent Drew Rosenhaus confirmed.

Greenard was scheduled to carry a salary cap hit of more than $22 million this season, creating space the Vikings can take advantage of in the future as they attempt to reset their roster following a 9-8 finish and the firing of general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.

“He’s a leader. He’s a captain. He’s an impact player. It’s something that we understand is not making the Minnesota Vikings a better team today, but there’s a lot of factors involved, particularly the economics," interim general manager and executive vice president of football operations Rob Brzezinski said. "We have just spent so much money the last several years that it’s not sustainable for us to move forward. Our salary cap situation has been very, very challenging.”

The Eagles had a need after letting edge rusher Jaelen Phillips leave in free agency. Greenard was expendable given the emergence last year of 2024 first-round draft pick Dallas Turner and the overall excellence when healthy of fellow outside linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel. Greenard was limited to 12 games in 2025 by a shoulder injury. He had three sacks, after tallying 12 sacks in his Vikings debut in 2024. Greenard signed in free agency after four seasons with the Houston Texans, who drafted him in the third round in 2020 out of Florida.

The trade gave the Vikings a fifth top-100 selection in the draft this year, plus four waiting in 2027. They took Florida defensive tackle Caleb Banks in the first round (18th overall) and Cincinnati linebacker Jake Golday (51st overall) in the second round after moving down two spots in a trade with Carolina. They upgraded a sixth-rounder to a fifth-rounder in that swap with the Panthers.

The Vikings used the pick from the Eagles at No. 98 to take safety Jakobe Thomas from Miami.



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A Republican lawmaker charged in an alcohol-related driving offense won’t have to appear in court again until after the Legislature adjourns for the year.

A June 10 arraignment hearing is set for Rep. Elliott Engen, a Lino Lakes Republican who faces three misdemeanor charges following an arrest early Friday. He was stopped for speeding and other infractions in White Bear Lake; officers detected alcohol and he later tested well above the legal limit for driving, according to a citation.

Engen has apologized for a lapse in judgment; he promised to learn from his actions and “do better.” Aside from being a second-term legislator, he is also a candidate for state auditor.

A second lawmaker, GOP Rep. Walter Hudson, was in Engen’s truck at the time of the stop and an open bottle of alcohol was found in a rear seat. Hudson, a second-term legislator from Albertville, was in possession of a permitted handgun, which could cause him legal problems if he is determined to have been intoxicated.

Police officers wrote in their report that Hudson disclosed he had the gun as the truck was being searched. The report said police took the firearm for safekeeping and said he could pick it up at a later time, which Hudson agreed to.

“I regret the poor decisions that were made during this incident, and commend the White Bear Police Department for their professional response,” Hudson said in a written statement. “I’m grateful that no harm was done to ourselves and others.”

Two lawmakers stand and look around
Rep. Walter Hudson, R-Albertville, (center) and Rep. Bidal Duran, R-Bemidji, (right) join other Republican lawmakers gather in the House chambers Jan. 27, 2025.
Tim Evans for MPR News file

A third, unidentified passenger was in the truck as well, according to police. Hudson and that person were transferred to the police department until they could arrange rides.

The Minnesota lawmakers had been at the Capitol late into the evening Thursday as the House debated procedural motions on gun, immigration and social media legislation. The motions failed on 67-67 votes.

There is no indication yet that either Hudson nor Engen had been drinking on Capitol grounds, which would be a violation of a House rule against consumption of alcohol or drugs in spaces under that chamber’s control.

According to a White Bear Lake Police report, Engen initially said he had not been drinking when asked by the police officer who pulled him over — “nothing at all,” he is quoted as saying. He performed a field sobriety test, which the report says showed signs of impairment.

Engen gave a preliminary breath sample there, the report says, which estimated a 0.142 blood alcohol level. After he was taken by squad car to the police department “Engen spontaneously stated, ‘Sir, I had a drink three hours ago,’” the report says.

He told the Minnesota Star Tribune in an interview Monday that he had also consumed alcohol in the afternoon on Thursday as well.

Engen is charged with two impaired driving offenses and speeding. White Bear Lake police also said he was driving a vehicle with expired registration and an inoperable headlight.

Engen has not returned calls from MPR News. A court docket lists a “notice of appearance” on Tuesday.

He is being represented in the criminal case by Chris Madel, an Excelsior attorney who waged a brief Republican campaign for governor.



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