As he stood at his locker after the divisional round playoff loss to the Baltimore Ravens in January, defensive end Jonathan Greenard looked around the visiting locker room without knowing if that would be his final game in a Houston Texans uniform. He was one of the Texans’ internal impending free agents coming off a career year at a very valuable position.
Greenard, a third-round pick in 2020 out of Florida, had been through a lot of tumultuous times in Houston: Numerous coaching changes, injuries and the COVID-19 pandemic before he finally broke out in 2023. He led the Texans with 12.5 sacks and set himself up for a nice contract in free agency.
“I had a great time in Houston,” Greenard said exclusively to Texans Wire in a phone interview. “What we did this past season was a testament to all the hard work we put in from the start of OTAs to the last practice before Baltimore.”
Ultimately, Greenard signed a four-year deal with the Minnesota Vikings that will pay him $19 annually. He later posted a goodbye message to the city, the team and its fans on Instagram after his four years with the Texans.
“Those guys are family to me,” Greenard said, “and none of that would have been possible had it not been for the McNairs taking a chance on me and giving me the opportunity to play for their organization. Giving me a chance to live out my dream.”
Greenard, 26, now gets to continue living that dreams in Minnesota. The Vikings were looking for a new pass rusher after letting their own, four-time Pro Bowl defensive end Danielle Hunter, hit free agency. Oddly enough, Hunter signed with the Texans.
“The Vikings knew exactly what they were looking for, and I fit the criteria,” Greenard said. “I would have loved to stay in Houston and see what we could have done there, but now it’s time to start a new chapter in my life with the Vikings.”
Greenard won’t just be preparing for his new surroundings in Minnesota. He’s getting married to his fiancée, Alta Gracia, soon. The two also a beautiful five-month-old daughter named Rayna.
“One reason I wanted to complete free agency so quickly is that I wanted my soon-to-be wife to know exactly where we would be spending the next three to four years,” Greenard said. “My family is very important to me, and I want to be in a stable environment to have that financial stability for our future.
Minnesota also signed one of Greenard’s former teammates, linebacker Blake Cashman, who finished as Texans’ leading tackler this past season. Greenard will now have a familiar face in his new locker room and one he’s played with on defense for the past two seasons. Cashman is also a Minnesota native.
“It is good to have someone you know when you are going into a new situation,” Greenard said regarding Cashman. “I already know his style of play and his on-the-field tendencies. Our lockers will probably be next to each other, which helps throughout the week and also with game planning.”
Greenard has no negative feelings towards his former team for not re-signing him. He has been in the NFL long enough to know how the business side works. The one thing he will genuinely miss outside of the fans who supported him throughout his time in Houston is his former teammates, who’re still with the Texans.
“Those guys know that my departure is not a goodbye or an end to our friendship, it is just the nature of the business,” Greenard said. “They have my number and know that I am available for them when they need to talk.”
Greenard paused before he finished his statement and started to laugh.
“Except when we play them this season,” he joked, as the Texans will face the Vikings on the road at some point this year. “I don’t want to talk to them until after the game is over.”
