The Philadelphia Eagles shook up the NFL Draft on Friday night when they acquired Jonathan Greenard in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings. The cost was not cheap as the Eagles gave up two third-round picks – the 98th overall selection in this year’s draft and another selection in the 2027 draft – and agreed to a four-year, $100 million contract extension with $50 million guaranteed. But it may have been worth the price for a player that had 12.5 sacks and finished with 84 total pressures during the 2024 season per Pro Football Focus.
While Greenard was hampered by a shoulder injury last year, the investment to bring him in means he’ll be part of the Eagles’ pass rush for the next few years. That will send a ripple effect throughout the Eagles roster and could be the factor that sends Nolan Smith out of Philadelphia.
Nolan Smith Jr.'s Eagles History in Jeopardy After Eagles Trade for Jonathan Greenard
A first-round pick in the 2023 draft, Smith is currently eligible for a contract extension. Spotrac estimates that Smith could fetch $14.1 million per season and the Eagles can buy some more time by exercising his fifth-year option. But his performance hasn’t been worthy of putting the $13.7 million to work for the 2027 season.
Smith battled with arm and shoulder injuries through the first two years of his career and managed just one sack and nine pressures during his rookie season in 2023. He appeared to turn a corner with 31 pressures and six sacks during the 2024 season and put an exclamation point on it with 19 pressures and four sacks during the four-game run to the Super Bowl according to PFF.Â
But Smith tore his triceps during the second half of the Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs and aggravated the surgically-repaired arm last September. The aggravation sent him to injured reserve and caused him to miss five games but he wasn’t himself after returning in Week 10, logging just three sacks 33 pressures on 226 pass-rushing snaps.
Smith showed signs of life by generating three pressures in a playoff loss to the San Francisco 49ers. But his injury history – which also includes a torn pectoral muscle and an ankle injury suffered during his college career at Georgia – should also give the Eagles pause and could be why they decided to trade for Greenard.
Greenard’s contract doesn’t work in Smith’s favor, but so do the other players that could need extensions in the coming years.Â
Jalen Carter is in a similar situation as he enters the final year of his rookie deal and while he could have his fifth-year option picked up, his $16.1 million market value could go up with a big 2026 season. Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell will also be eligible for contract extensions beginning next year and it could be difficult to fit everyone in even if the Eagles decide to trade A.J. Brown later this summer.
It adds up to Smith entering an important season in 2026 but it also could mean he’ll be looking for a new team as soon as the 2027 season. With Greenard in the mix, Smith will have an uphill battle for playing time and it could spell the end of his time with the Eagles.
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