In the offseason, the Philadelphia Eagles acquired LB Jonathan Greenard from the Minnesota Vikings.
After the trade, the Eagles signed him to a four-year, $98 million deal.
However, the 2024 Pro Bowler has not been much of a factor in 2026. The 29-year-old has battled pectoral and ankle injuries, causing him to miss practice time and four of the team’s eight games.
In the four games Greenard has played, he has yet to record a sack.
As the Eagles, who are on a six-game losing streak, prepare to host the New York Giants on Sunday, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio explained why Greenard has struggled.
“What I see is a guy that has had very, very little practice,” Fangio said on Tuesday. “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 explained why practicing is important.
“There’s no pill, there’s no magic potion,” Fangio said. “You can watch all the tape you want. You can sit in meetings all you want. You can do walkthroughs all you want. Guy’s got to practice.”
Fangio said the lack of practice has affected Greenard’s comfort in the system.
“Yeah, he’s just not into a groove,” he 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.”
We’re talking about practice, not a game. We’re talking about practice, and given Fangio’s long NFL coaching career, his emphasis on practice carries weight.
The Eagles are near the bottom of the league in sacks, so if the team wants to get after the quarterback consistently, they’ll need Greenard to be at his best.
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