The Green Bay Packers have arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine, and with that, the offseason rumor mill has hit a new level. The Packers must shore up some of the areas that caused their Super Bowl-caliber start to fall apart at the end of the year, and finding personnel to run new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme is high on the list of Brian Gutekunst’s priorities.
With that in mind, players who used to play for Gannon could become targets, and there could be one coming available as the Minnesota Vikings are reportedly shopping defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Hargrave starred in the middle of the defensive line while Gannon was the Philadelphia Eagles’ defensive coordinator from 2021 to 2022. But a trade between the two sides is unlikely, as the two teams have made just four total trades since the Vikings came into the NFL in 1961 and haven’t made one since a trade that helped the Packers land Christian Watson during the 2022 NFL Draft.
Still, it appears likely that Hargrave will reunite with Gannon and be an unlikely gift from one of the Packers’ most bitter rivals.
Javon Hargrave Appears Destined for Green Bay If Released by Vikings
The Vikings would love to get out of Hargrave’s contract, and trading him saves $14.9 million against the salary cap as opposed to $10.9 million with a cut before June 1 per Over The Cap. While it sounds great, the Vikings are more likely to release Hargrave as he carries a $21.4 million cap hit next season.
The Packers could still offer the Vikings a late-round pick in this situation, but Minnesota likely has no desire to face Hargrave twice a year. If no other team steps up, Hargrave’s release could allow him to sign anywhere, and reuniting with Gannon could be something on his radar.
Hargrave had his two best seasons in the NFL while playing for Gannon in Philadelphia, collecting 18.5 sacks and 129 pressures on 995 pass-rushing snaps per Pro Football Focus. While he dropped off considerably during an injury-plagued 2024 season with the San Francisco 49ers and managed just 31 pressures and four sacks on 295 pass-rushing snaps last year, he fits the mold of what Gannon wants to do up front, generating pressure with the front seven and allowing his secondary to drop into coverage.
Adding another defensive tackle is one way to make that happen. Devonte Wyatt was solid with 22 pressures and four sacks, but battled injuries throughout last season, including a broken fibula and torn ankle ligament that ended his season on Thanksgiving. Karl Brooks had 29 pressures and a sack in the middle, but the rest of the group struggled to make an impact with Warren Brinson, Colby Wooden, and Nazir Stackhouse as wild cards entering the 2026 season.
In the end, it’s a situation to keep an eye on. While the Vikings want to trade Hargrave, it appears unlikely. Should that happen, it should lead to his release and potentially give Gannon and the Packers a key addition in free agency.