The Eagles may have made Jonathan Greenard one of their biggest offseason priorities, but the edge rusher’s Week 1 status is suddenly looking shaky.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio didn’t offer much comfort when asked whether Greenard might miss the start of the season. As Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia relayed ahead of Philadelphia’s joint practice with the Patriots, the answer was simple: “Yeah.”
That’s a rough turn for a player the Eagles brought in to be a major piece up front. Philadelphia landed Greenard in a mid-draft trade and followed that with a $100 million extension, expecting him to bolster the pass rush after Jaelan Phillips left for the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
Instead, Greenard has been sidelined by a pec injury that has kept him out for an extended stretch. He still hasn’t practiced, which means he’s now missed all of training camp and could also be unavailable for Week 1 against the Washington Commanders.
The timing makes this even more frustrating for Philadelphia. If Greenard were already settled into the defense, the concern would be a little easier to manage. But this is his first year with the Eagles, and he hasn’t had the chance to build any real rhythm with his new teammates.
Greenard came over from the Minnesota Vikings after posting three sacks last season in what was described as a down year. Philadelphia gave up multiple third-round picks to get him, betting on the upside and on his fit alongside Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr.
That pairing was supposed to give the Eagles another dangerous edge-rushing look. For now, though, the focus is much simpler: whether Greenard will be ready when the regular season opens.
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