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Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio talks Jonathan Greenard absence, safety battle, and Zack Baun’s green dot

The Eagles DC answered questions about a defense that is down a man after Jonathan Greenard was sidelined by a pectoral injury.

Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio met the media for the first time in 2026 training camp on Thursday, touching on a range of topics.
Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio met the media for the first time in 2026 training camp on Thursday, touching on a range of topics. Read moreMonica Herndon / Staff Photographer

Howie Roseman said Wednesday the pectoral strain that landed 29-year-old edge rusher Jonathan Greenard on the Physically Unable to Perform list isn’t a “long-term injury.”

But that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be able to participate in training camp.

On Thursday morning, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio noted that it “remains to be seen” whether Greenard will return to the practice field before Week 1 against the Washington Commanders. Still, like Roseman, Fangio didn’t express too much concern over Greenard’s absence from practice.

“He’s a veteran player, so he knows the league, knows how to play,” Fangio said. “But we’re going to be asking him to do some different things that he hadn’t had to do in his career, and that’s really what he’s going to be missing with this time off. He’s going to miss a good bit of camp.”

Those different tasks include dropping into coverage. Greenard has taken 203 coverage snaps throughout his six-year career, according to Pro Football Focus, but he is new to Fangio’s scheme and the way he coaches the responsibilities at each position.

Regardless, Fangio said he thinks Greenard is capable of dropping once he is back on the field.

“But he’s got to learn it,” Fangio added. “And the only way you learn it is to do it. He does a good job in the meetings. He’s paying attention. He’s focused, watching practice. But it’s not the same.“

The Eagles acquired Greenard this offseason from the Minnesota Vikings and signed him to a four-year extension, identifying their top edge rusher after Jaelan Phillips departed for the Carolina Panthers in free agency.

Greenard’s absence in camp will lead to opportunities for other players. Third-year edge rusher Jalyx Hunt had a strong start on Wednesday, winning a handful of reps against Jordan Mailata. Fangio said he thinks Hunt is “very capable” of having a big year after he led the team with 6½ sacks last season.

Fangio also lauded 27-year-old A.J. Epenesa, whom the Eagles signed in June. While he said it “remains to be seen” how Epenesa can help the depth of the group in the absence of Greenard, he made a strong impression on the first day of camp.

“For a guy that’s being asked to do a few things that he’s never done before, I thought he did a nice job [on Wednesday] with it,” Fangio said. “He was very encouraging.”

Safety competition continues

Throughout the offseason program and during the first two days of training camp, 30-year-old Marcus Epps has been holding down the starting safety spot alongside Andrew Mukuba in nickel defense.

Cooper DeJean is still occupying the starting safety spot in base defense, then shifting to the slot in nickel. Despite the continuation of those trends from the offseason program to training camp, Fangio wasn’t ready to anoint Epps the starter in nickel on Thursday.

“[Michael] Carter [II]’s doing fine, too,” Fangio said. “It’s [a] competition.”

Carter, 27, has rotated in at safety with the starting defense over the last two days. While the competition remains open for that spot in nickel, Fangio seemed to stand firm on keeping DeJean at safety in base instead of outside cornerback, a role he occupied last year.

Unsurprisingly, Fangio is more inclined to keep Riq Woolen on the field for every down than he was Adoree’ Jackson, who came off in base in 2025.

“But things can change,” Fangio added. “If we lose guys or guys aren’t playing good.”

Baun to wear green dot

Zack Baun enters the 2026 season with a new responsibility. Well, a semi-new responsibility.

Fangio revealed that the 29-year-old inside linebacker will wear the green dot on his helmet as the primary signal-caller for the defense, a responsibility that was previously held by Nakobe Dean.

The job isn’t totally foreign to Baun. While Dean was sidelined for the first five games of 2025 and didn’t take a defensive snap in the sixth, Baun was tasked with relaying the play calls he received through the radio in his helmet.

Fangio expressed his confidence in Baun at mastering any challenge within the defense, not just his newest full-time responsibility.

“Whatever you ask Zack to do, if he’s not good at it right now, he’ll fight through to get good at it,” Fangio said.

Money matters

Jalen Carter became the highest-paid defensive tackle in league history when he agreed to terms on a four-year, $152 million ($106 million guaranteed) extension on Tuesday.

Fangio reiterated Howie Roseman’s remarks on Wednesday, when the general manager emphasized that he paid Carter based on his future performance, not on what he has accomplished in three seasons with the Eagles.

“Obviously, Howie’s confident that in this case, hopefully, he’ll pick his game up even more,” Fangio said.

Carter won’t be the only Eagles defensive tackle looking to elevate his game in 2026. Moro Ojomo, who turns 25 in August, is headed into a contract year. With extensions looming in the not-so-distant future for 2024 draft class members such as Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, Fangio made his feelings about Ojomo’s future in Philadelphia clear.

“Howie needs to save some money for him, too,” Fangio said.

Ojomo had a breakout season in 2025, finishing second on the team with six sacks. But as the Eagles defense becomes more expensive, it is unclear if Roseman will prioritize keeping the 2023 seventh-round pick out of Texas in the fold beyond this season.

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