Jonathan Greenard is already proving the Vikings right for trading him to Philadelphia

The biggest challenge with some of the best players in the NFL is that durability is the most important attribute. The Philadelphia Eagles are finding out rather quickly what Minnesota Vikings fans already knew about Jonathan Greenard; for as good as he is, his inability to be available is a hindrance. Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said it would still be a "couple of weeks," but simply said the Eagles aren’t going to rush him back. 

In simple terms, Greenard isn’t ready yet, and they hope to have him by Week 1. The problem with this Philadelphia isn’t deep off the edge and not having Greenard healthy just adds to the pressure of getting immediate help in the defensive line. Jalen Carter got a lucrative extension, but they need more than just him commanding this defensive line. 

Why Jonathan Greenard’s delayed recovery proves Minnesota was right to trade him

Philadelphia knew they needed to get reinforcements on the defensive line, but they didn’t quite anticipate the problem Greenard would pose. This isn’t just about his recovery for this year, but his career at a glance. He has just one full season to his name since he was drafted in 2020. When he’s healthy, there’s no question he’s worth every penny. The 2023 and 2024 seasons were the best of his career, where he eclipsed 12 sacks in both seasons. In the other four seasons, he has just one year with more than three sacks. 

The Eagles landed him because they are expecting him to not just be healthy, but be productive like he was his last year in Houston and first year in Minnesota. But he spent two seasons in Minnesota before they were ready to move on from that should have been a red flag for Philadelphia, not an opportunity. 

Greenard is still tracking to be available for Week 1, which is a good sign and the fact that he hasn’t had any setbacks means it’s not a lost cause just yet. But this is also a sign that if he’s struggling to get healthy for camp, which could linger into the preseason, he could very well end up having more injury problems this season. 

Should Philadelphia look to add depth to the defensive line?

It’s not a bad idea for Philadelphia to start looking for some depth options at EDGE rusher just to ensure that if Greenard isn’t ready or continues to have injury problems, they can field a defense that is competitive enough to slow offenses down. A big name that sticks out is Kayvon Thibodeaux. He’s a very affordable option who is in a contract year. They could very well get him cheap and hope he has a big year before he’s due for an extension. 

Bringing Josh Sweat back isn’t a bad option either considering he could force his way out of Arizona with them very much looking like a contender for the No. 1 pick next April. There are options out there and if history is showing them anything, it’s that they need reinforcements in the event Greenard isn’t healthy. Look at Greenard’s history. The fact that he has problems playing full seasons should be more proof the Eagles need more than just him. 

The fact that he hasn’t participated in training camp either is more of a sign that things may be trending more down than they are up. He’s a dang good player that is really productive off the edge; but that only matters if he plays. Philadelphia could take the risk of not adding any depth, but it very well might be what holds them back from contending for a Super Bowl in 2026.

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