The Green Bay Packers made a big addition to the middle of their defensive line when they added Javon Hargrave in free agency. A two-time Pro Bowler who had the best years of his career under new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon, Hargrave brings a potential impact player where Green Bay needed it. But it also comes with a little shade toward his former team, the Minnesota Vikings.
Shortly before his release from the Vikings, Hargrave made a repost on his X account suggesting that Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores did not use him properly in his lone season in Minnesota. It also appears that his new two-year, $23 million contract with the Packers didn’t make those feelings go away, as he praised his new team and took another shot at his old one in his first comments to SI’s Bill Huber.
“My whole career, I’ve been with great organizations – not to try to throw shade [at other teams] but historic organizations,” Hargrave said. “Lambeau Field, I feel like it just fit me. And of course, J.G., man. I love J.G. Great coach and friend. Kept up with him over the years, so that was a big thing too. …I know free agency. You hear a lot of stuff until the time comes. I knew there was a chance with J.G., but you just never know. When they called, I’m like, year, I was definitely excited.”
Hargrave may not have been intentionally throwing shade at the Vikings in his mind, but Packers fans definitely had to love what they heard, and it may be the sign of a player motivated to stick it to his old team – and one of Green Bay’s divisional rivals – in 2026.
Javon Hargrave Sounds Motivated to Stick it to the Vikings After Joining Packers
Hargrave has been known as one of the top interior pass-rushers in the NFL, and a lot of it came when Gannon was the defensive coordinator for the Eagles in 2021 and 2022. During those seasons, Hargrave set back-to-back career highs with 7.5 sacks in 2021 and 11.0 sacks in 2022, but while he had seven sacks after signing with the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, he suffered a partially torn right triceps in 2024 and was released before signing with the Vikings.
Playing in Flores’s aggressive scheme, Hargrave was supposed to be the interior disruptor the Vikings needed. But things didn’t pan out as he had his lowest pressure (31) and sack (3.5) totals in a season without a major injury since 2020 (37 pressures, 4.5 sacks). Hargrave’s $21.4 million cap hit for 2026 made him an obvious cut candidate, but before it became official, he made sure to slam the door for a last-minute return by re-posting a post from X user “Marcello” stating “If you’re the DL and wanna get to the QB, Brian Flores’ system is not for you.”
ESPN’s Kevin Seifert noted that this “was not a new critique.” Former Vikings DT Harrison Phillips also acknowledged that “there was not going to be a lot of production through the system. But then I saw the problems it was giving our offense…and so I thought we were really onto something.”
Hargrave never bought in, however, and the fact that he had Green Bay on his mind as the Vikings were finalizing his release is another sign that he had some potential revenge on his mind as he hit the open market. Even if he was drawn by the Packers’ past and playing with Gannon, having the chance to play Minnesota twice could have also been a selling point, and it led to him signing hours after his release was official.
That’s very good news for a Packers team that had trouble in the middle after Devonte Wyatt’s season-ending injury last season and may make Hargrave a fan-favorite in Green Bay.