Eagles edge rusher Jonathan Greenard unsure on Week 1 status but hopeful: ‘We’re close, I know that’
Greenard said his first appearance in an Eagles uniform would ultimately be up to the coaches.
Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard said he “feels good” after missing all of training camp with an injury, though he’s still unsure if he’ll be ready for Sunday’s Week 1 game vs. the Commanders.
Greenard, who practiced in a limited capacity on Wednesday and Thursday, confirmed that he did not need surgery after suffering the pectoral strain while lifting ahead of camp.
“It’s one of those freak things,” Greenard said from his locker room stall Thursday. “Stuff happens and thank God I didn’t need surgery. Just a matter of just trying to work back in there, get it back to full strength.”
Greenard wouldn’t tip his hand about his availability for Sunday, instead repeating “that’s up for [the Eagles coaching staff] to decide.” He emphasized that he’s improving after the injury.
“I feel good, though. I will say, I feel I’m in a good spot,” Greenard said. “Just know that. I know that I’m working every day to continue to try to get this thing stronger. We’re close, I know that.”
Greenard echoed the earlier words of defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, who noted the importance of the edge rusher getting up to game speed ahead of Thursday’s practice,
“It’s day by day,” Fangio said. “He hasn’t practiced a whole lot yet, so we’ll be careful with that. There’s a minimal amount of real practice that you have to go through, especially for a guy coming off an injury. It’s like the guy [Aaron] Donald with the Rams. He’s just coming off rustiness, no injury, and he wasn’t ready this week. We’ll see.”
Greenard, 29, is a major piece for the Eagles’ defense. General manager Howie Roseman traded third-round picks in 2026 and 2027 for the star edge rusher on April 24. He then signed a four-year, $100 million contract that included $50 million guaranteed. They acquired him to fill the void left by Jaelan Phillips, who signed with the Carolina Panthers in free agency.
Does Greenard feel like he’s comfortable with Fangio’s playbook, even if he might not be in game shape?
“Yeah, it’s kind of similar to Flo [Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores] when I was in Minnesota,” said Greenard, who spent the last two seasons with the Vikings. “Just learning different terminology. You know, it’s English and Spanish, pretty much… I’ve dropped before, I’ve covered people before, I’ve rushed. It’s still football, just a different terminology. I didn’t feel like it wasn’t that difficult to grasp the playbook.”
The regular season is almost here! All the preseason talk has been about Jalen Hurts and new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion. But there’s somebody else who will have a big say in how high the Eagles fly. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane explains why this year, in the absence of traded star A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith has to take the next step, while also taking charge of the Eagles’ wide receivers group. Plus, Jeff dips into the mailbag for listener questions about Jalen Hurts and some key roster spots. Listen here.
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