Eagles coach cites limited practice for Greenard's slow start

Philadelphia Eagles fans are still waiting for Jonathan Greenard to produce at the level the team expected when it signed him this offseason. The 29-year-old pass rusher has played in only five games so far this season and has not recorded a sack. He has appeared in 118 snaps, which is 33% of the team's defensive plays. On Sunday, he played 28 snaps and recorded one tackle.

The lack of production has raised questions about the two third-round picks and the four-year, $98 million extension the Eagles gave him. The contract included $50 million in guaranteed money. However, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio says the numbers do not tell the whole story because Greenard has not had enough time on the field to settle into the system.

Fangio noted that Greenard missed all of training camp due to a strained pectoral. He also missed the first two weeks of the regular season. When he returned, the team limited his workload. He played 18 snaps in his first game back. He played 19 snaps in Week 4 before leaving with an ankle injury. He sat out Week 5 and has since played 24 snaps in each of the last three games.

"What I see is a guy that has had very, very little practice," Fangio said. "I mean, when I say very little, minuscule. He's missed all of training camp, missed the first two weeks of the season, no practice. Started practicing, was on a pitch count, [and] played 19 plays. It was going to increase the next week, got hurt early in that game, didn't finish that game, didn't play the next game. He's been limited in practice. Contrary to some people's popular belief, practice is important and he has had next to none."

Fangio emphasized that the defense relies on four-man fronts and simulated pressures. This scheme requires edge rushers to have consistent technique and alignment. It is not just about rushing the quarterback. "He's just not into a groove," Fangio said. "He's not comfortable in our system totally and what we want him to do. It's not because he doesn't know or doesn't want to, it's just hadn't executed it. Walkthroughs are an assignment check. It's not an execution. I don't know if I've had a guy that's had so little practice."

The coach added that there is no shortcut to getting back into form. "Practice," Fangio said. "There's no pill, there's no magic potion. You can watch all the tape you want. You can sit in meetings all you want. You can do walkthroughs all you want. (The) guy's got to practice."

Greenard's current statistics show a pressure rate of 7.8% on 69 pass rushing snaps according to TruMedia. He has not recorded a quarterback hurry this season. According to Stathead, he has played the sixth-most snaps among all edge rushers without a sack or hurry. Pro Football Focus gives him a 65.1 pressure grade, which ranks 77th among 118 edge rushers with at least 100 snaps.

These numbers suggest his issues may extend beyond missing sacks. Sacks can fluctuate based on opportunity, but pressures and hurries often better indicate if a player is winning matchups. Greenard recorded 24 and a half sacks in 2023 and 2024. That total was seventh in the NFL during that span. It trailed only Trey Hendrickson, T.J. Watt, Myles Garrett, and Micah Parsons.

The Eagles have nine games left in the regular season. The team is betting that Greenard's slow start is due to missed practice time rather than a decline in his abilities. As his snap count increases and he becomes more familiar with the defense, the next month will provide a clearer picture of whether the investment will pay off.