Veteran IDPs Who Could Be Replaced: NFC Edition
With the 2026 NFL Draft looming next week, which veteran IDPs in the NFC are at risk of being replaced?
The NFL Draft kicks off in a little over a week, and it doesn’t just add talent. It also resets the math for teams. Contracts that made sense in January become liabilities in April. Aging starters who survived free agency intact suddenly have a Day 2 pick breathing down their neck. And the fantasy community, which spent months building conviction on these players, is often the last to adjust.
The NFC has a handful of names this year that fit that profile: established IDP contributors whose situations have quietly deteriorated heading into draft weekend. Some have injury question marks. Some have contract leverage working against them. Some are just caught in the wrong spot at the wrong time, with a team that has clearly telegraphed where it’s heading.
The window to sell is shrinking. Once a team announces a pick at your guy’s position, the market moves fast and the leverage shifts. Here’s who you might want to consider moving before next Thursday night.
Jonathan Greenard, EDGE, Minnesota Vikings
Jonathan Greenard’s status with the team has been bandied about this offseason. While nothing concrete, he’s still the subject of trade rumors. Dallas appears to be a potential landing spot.
Greenard was a hot free agent after his 12.5 sack season in 2023. Greenard’s first season with the Vikings was a success, as he recorded 12 sacks and 18 TFLs while generating a 15.1% pressure rate. The arrow was pointing up for Greenard.
Unfortunately, the NFL is a very “what have you done for me lately” league, and any signs of decline or injury, and the NFL stands quickly means “not for long.”
Greenard missed 5 games and managed just 3 sacks over 270 pass rush snaps.
He also has Dallas Turner nipping at his heels, as the up-and-coming edge rusher enjoyed a breakout season in 2025. Turner recorded 8 sacks and 11 TFLs while producing a 14.6% pressure rate. Turner is entering his third year and the prime of his career.
Turner’s emergence and Greenard’s demand could make Greenard’s spot on the Vikings’ roster a fleeting moment.
Budda Baker, S, Arizona Cardinals
I know, you’re probably thinking, “Wait, what?” Yeah, the NFL is a cruel mistress. Budda Baker is entering his age-30 season, and players typically enter their decline after 30. They aren’t getting younger.
Baker has appeared in over 8,400 snaps and has logged 1,000+ snaps in five of the last seven seasons. He has been relatively healthy, as he’s missed no more than 5 games in his career. However, your replacement is only a draft away.
Baker has 284 tackles over his last two seasons with 14 TFLs and 10 defended passes, but just one INT. Certainly not a death knell. The Colts and Cardinals explored a trade that included Baker. He has two years and $33 million left on his contract and the Cardinals might want to be free of his cap number.
Baker’s age and contract that might make him expendable. He has a cap savings of nearly $15.7 million as a post-June 1 cut. If I have Baker rostered in dynasty, I might sell to a contender and get ahead of his potential decline.
Kayvon Thibodeaux, EDGE, New York Giants
Kayvon Thibodeaux’s tenure with the Giants has been tumultuous at best. He’s failed to live up to the billing as a 5th overall pick. As a top-5 pick, he was expected to deliver All-Pro seasons and double-digit sack seasons. Unfortunately, he’s failed to deliver an All-Pro season and has just one season with 10+ sacks, and it was pretty fluky, where he delivered a 30% pressure-to-sack conversion rate.
Since then, he has had 8 sacks over the last two seasons and 70 total pressures, averaging just 35 over that span. The Giants added Brian Burns via a trade and drafted Abdul Carter 3rd overall in 2025. Carter led the team in pressures as a rookie with 66 and recorded 18 QB hits.
Thibodeaux has a career 9.55 pressure rate, which doesn’t scream elite, no matter how you try to spin things. It’s pretty clear Carter is the future and the Giants are going to squeeze as much as they can from Burns.
Thibodeaux has been the subject of trade rumors, and with the draft around the corner, those rumors are sure to heat up. At the very least, Thibodeaux’s snaps and usage are in danger. I’d be looking to sell Thibodeaux for whatever I can get.
TJ Edwards, LB, Chicago Bears
The Bears let Tremaine Edmunds walk in free agency after signing him to a big free agent deal; the Bears might follow suit with TJ Edwards.
They have made some tweaks to the roster here and there, especially with the addition of Devin Bush at off-ball linebacker to replace Edmunds. They also re-signed D’Marco Jackson, which could mean something (or not at all). It’s definitely not a small deal.
Edwards has been with the Bears for the last three seasons, but the warts showed themselves last season. He missed seven games with hand/hamstring injuries and then suffered a fractured fibula in the wild card game against Green Bay.
His offseason is in jeopardy with a six-month recovery timeline. The Bears get $8.3 million in savings with a post-June 1, but I don’t see them cutting Edwards. We will see how the Bears truly feel about him at the end of the draft. While the mock experts have the Bears addressing offensive line or safety in the first, I think off-ball LB is in play here.
Edwards’ role might not change in 2026, but his remaining time with the Bears is shaky at best. He’ll be 30 when the season kicks off this fall.
Dre Greenlaw, LB, San Francisco 49ers
As of now, it’s sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows for Dre Greenlaw as he reunites with Fred Warner. However, he only signed a one-year deal. Although it’s a $7.5 millon deal, I don’t think it guarantees him any snaps, and he’s joining a defense with a new coordinator and scheme. He didn’t seem to fit in Denver, and he even said he wasn’t happy.
Greenlaw said he didn’t adjust from the 43 to 34 change; he might find the same difficulties in San Francisco, as Raheem Morris might be implementing a 34 base. However, he might be more comfortable opposite Warner.
The red flags with Greenlaw are his health and potential scheme fit. He’s appeared in just 10 games over the last two seasons and he may not fit entirely in Morris’s scheme. Dee Winters fits the profile of what Morris looks for in a pass rush LB, so Greenlaw’s snaps could be limited to specific packages, as opposed to a true full-time role.
It’s a shame he suffered that Achilles’ injury during the Super Bowl, as Warner/Greenlaw could have been a formidable Willis/Bowman-type duo.
Malik Hooker, S, Dallas Cowboys
I have never been enamored with Cowboys’ safeties from an IDP standpoint, and Malik Hooker isn’t an exception. Hooker just turned 30 and was part of a defense that was one of the worst in the league. He missed 5 games and didn’t record an INT throughout the year, and will have a new defensive coordinator who’s stressing turnovers, and a new scheme.
Hooker has been an average safety in the NFL, and for IDP, he’s been the definition of “meh.” I think Dallas wants to get younger and more physical, so I think he’s ripe for replacement, especially during the draft. I’ve seen guys like Emmanuel McNeil-Warren and Dillon Thinemann gaining momentum in mock drafts.
Frankie Luvu, LB, Washington Commanders
Frankie Luvu is another off-ball LB who’ll be hitting his age-30 season come this season. He signed a three-year deal in 2024, and while I don’t think they'll release him ahead of this season, Luvu is entering the final year, and he’s probably going to want a new deal. I don’t see Washington ponying up cash for Luvu, especially with his production on the decline.
After recording 236 tackles over his final two seasons with the Panthers, he notched 185 in Washington and has yet to reach the 100-tackle mark. Luvu’s sack production dipped precipitously, by just over 60% from 2024 to 2025. He’s also a man without a position, as he moved all around the line of scrimmage. He played 43% of his snaps on the edge and the remainder at off-ball. He didn’t seem to fit in either spot. His PFF grades suffered as a result. He earned a 53.7 overall grade and a 58.2 pass rush grade. He missed 21 tackles and earned a 30.2 tackling grade.
These aren’t numbers that scream huge extension. The Commanders already added Leo Chenal in free agency, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see someone like Jordan Magee see increased usage at Luvu’s expense.
In the draft, they could go with an edge rusher to eat into Luvu’s edge snaps. I’ve also seen Sonny Styles mocked as well. Either way, I think it’s time to sell Luvu and, in redraft leagues, he’s probably off my board.
Demarcus Lawrence, EDGE, Seattle Seahawks
Now that DeMarcus Lawrence received a ring, will he check out? He’s going to be 34 at the end of the month, and accomplished what he set out to do after leaving Dallas: win a Super Bowl ring. Will he retire?
While that question looms, his sack production hasn’t been elite, and he hasn’t produced 10+ sacks since 2018. He’s a consistent source of pressure, however, as he generated a 13.3% pressure rate this past season.
As a group, Seattle’s EDGE unit needs to get younger. Uchenna Nwosu will be 30 at the end of the year, so while the position isn’t a dire need, it could be if Lawrence retires. Plus, the Seahawks might want to get younger and faster at the position. At Lawrence’s advanced age, he’d be the first to get replaced.
I could see Seattle going with someone like Cashius Howell, TJ Parker, or even Zion Young as Lawrence’s eventual replacement.
Byron Young, EDGE, Los Angeles Rams
This one might be controversial. Byron Young is going into his fourth year, but he’s already 28. He’s recorded over 200 tackles and 27.5 sacks over his first three years. However, Young could be looking for a payday for his production and Les Snead may not be willing to hand over that much cash to someone closer to 30.
The Rams drafted Josaiah Stewart in the 3rd round and could be Young’s replacement this year. They may want to limit Young’s snaps, as he’s appeared in nearly 3,000 snaps (regular season and playoffs) and has a 79% snap rate. The Rams may want to insert Stewart into a more prominent role and develop him as an edge rusher alongside Young and Jared Verse. He played through a knee injury late in 2025, which also hampered his production.
I know Young just had a breakout season; however, it’s possible Young’s snaps/usage dip to around 70%, especially if they can’t come to some sort of extension during the offseason. It’s not a demotion, but more of a workload management situation. I still think he’s in the DL2/3 conversation, and I’m not turning down reasonable trade offers.
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