The Philadelphia Eagles will have to open the season without their biggest offseason edge-rushing addition. Jonathan Greenard is out for Sunday’s Week 1 matchup against the Washington Commanders because of a pec injury, leaving Philadelphia to wait a little longer for its new pass-rush piece to make his debut.
Washington, meanwhile, is heading into the opener in good shape. The Commanders’ final injury report on Friday listed everyone as available, including starting edge rushers Odafe Oweh and K’Lavon Chaisson.
Greenard’s absence isn’t a surprise in the sense that he had been working back from a pec strain suffered just before Philadelphia opened training camp in July. He sat out all of camp and the preseason, though the Eagles kept him off the Reserve/PUP list, a clear sign they expected him back sometime within the first four games.
That optimism came with some cautious words from Greenard himself on Thursday.
“I’m literally just trying to work day by day,” Greenard said Thursday, via Dave Zangaro of NBC Sports Philadelphia.
“Like, I literally am out there every second trying to just show what I can do. And that’s tough for them (to make a decision), but I feel pretty solid.
… It’s not for me to decide. I feel good, though.
I will say I feel I’m in a good spot. I know that I’m working every day to continue to try to get this thing stronger.
We’re close. I know that.”
Greenard, 29, came into the league as a third-round pick of the Houston Texans. After four seasons in Houston, he landed a four-year, $76 million contract with the Minnesota Vikings.
He rewarded that move in 2024 with 12 sacks and a Pro Bowl nod. In 2025, a shoulder injury cost him five games, and he finished with three sacks.
With Greenard sidelined, Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith handled the starting edge jobs for Philadelphia throughout training camp, while A.J. Epenesa and Arnold Ebiketie filled in behind them.
The Commanders also made a notable lineup call up front, with Brandon Coleman set to start at left tackle. Coleman played that spot in 2024, and Washington moved him back there after Laremy Tunsil was ruled out for the season.
In Other News...
Eagles Lose Expected Week 1 Option Right Before Commanders Opener
The Eagles will be without a rookie tight end they had expected to have available for their Week 1 meeting with the Commanders after placing Eli Stowers on injured reserve because of quadriceps and hamstring injuries. Stowers had been on track to dress for the opener, but imaging later showed the added quadriceps issue, changing the outlook for Philadelphias opening-week plans.
For Washington, it removes one more wrinkle from a division matchup already packed with early-season intrigue. Stowers now has to sit out at least four weeks, which means the earliest he can rejoin the Eagles is Week 5 against the Jaguars in London, leaving Philadelphia to sort out its tight end rotation without a player it had counted on for the opener. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Last Eagles Win Still Fuels A Brutal Draft Debate
The Commanders 24-17 win over the Eagles in the Week 18 season finale still carries a ripple effect far beyond the final score. Josh Johnsons late touchdown helped close out a rare victory over Philadelphia, and Chris Rodriguez and Jeremy Reaves played key roles in a game that looked meaningful in the moment and even more consequential once the standings settled.
Washington moved from the No. 5 overall pick to No. 7 because of that result, which is why the debate has lingered. A late-season win over a division rival is the kind of moment a team wants to celebrate, but it also came with a price in draft position, leaving the Commanders to weigh the satisfaction of beating the Eagles against the long view of where they now sit in April. [Read more 🡒]
Jayden Daniels Looms Over Washingtons Biggest Week 1 Fantasy Decision
Washingtons 2026 opener in Philadelphia comes with one of those early-season fantasy calls that can shape a week before it even begins. Jayden Daniels is expected back after the elbow injury that clouded his availability, and his return changes the entire outlook for a Commanders offense that now also has Stefon Diggs in the mix after his recent signing. The matchup alone makes this one of the more watched games on the Week 1 slate, but the real intrigue is how quickly Washington can get its pieces in sync on the road against the Eagles.
Diggs gives the Commanders another proven pass-catching option, though there may be some adjustment time as he settles into the offense and learns where the targets will come from early on. For fantasy managers, that creates a tricky balance between ceiling and certainty, especially with Daniels presence likely to affect how the passing game is distributed. It is the kind of opening-week decision that can feel simple in theory and messy in practice, with Washington offering enough name value to tempt starters but enough uncertainty to make some managers think twice. [Read more 🡒]