The Seattle Seahawks might have to rebuild their edge rush group a bit this offseason. Boye Mafe is a free agent, and DeMarcus Lawrence could retire, but Seattle could have the opportunity to trade for Jonthan Greenard, who the Minnesota Vikings reportedly just made available in a deal.
Greenard has two years left on his current contract, but with cap hits of a little over $22 million in both seasons. Minnesota is currently $45 million over the cap, so the Vikings have to do something to create some cash. Moving Greenard is a quick way to do that.
The unfortunate part, if one is a fan of the Vikings, would be that the team would be forced to make a move simply to save money. The edge rusher is a good player. He's not a great tackler, but he does play the run almost as well as pressure quarterbacks. Seattle would need that kind of versatility.
The Seattle Seahawks should ponder a trade for the Minnesota Vikings' Jonathan Greenard
Mafe, should he not re-sign with Seattle (and he is probably going to be expensive no matter where he ends up), was exactly that kind of player. While he had just two sacks in 2025, he was eighth in ESPN's ranking of pass-rush win-rate for edge rushers. He set a hard edge against the run as well.
Lawrence, of course, has made a career out of being a three-down edge rusher. He is still under contract for two more seasons with the Seahawks, but has no guaranteed money left, and, at age 33, he might simply be ready to ride off into the proverbial sunset. He's earned more than $100 million in his career and finally won a Super Bowl this year.
Greenard will turn 29 before the 2026 season begins, and there would be a concern about the shoulder he injured this past season. He missed five games, and his raw statistics dipped. He had just three sacks, but he still managed 47 total pressures and 25 run stuffs. If fully healthy, he is a disruptive presence.
In 2023, he had 12.5 sacks for the Houston Texans, and had 12 for the Vikings in 2024, his first season in Minnesota. Again, though, his value doesn't just come as a pass rusher. He could take Mafe's reps and should be a very good fit in head coach Mike Macdonald's scheme.
What the Minnesota Vikings would want back in a trade for Jonathan Greenard isn't known, of course. A first-round choice would be too rich. Part of the issue is that the Seattle Seahawks only have four picks in the 2026 draft currently, and only one after round three. Would John Schneider want to deal his third for Greenard and leave the team with only three selections? Maybe not.