Every offseason has its headline-grabbing move. The Philadelphia Eagles have had a few. Adding Riq Woolen and hiring a new offensive coordinator certainly qualify. Understandably, nearly every conversation about the offseason has begun with one new face or another. Few franchises work as aggressively as the one representing the City of Brotherly Love. Sometimes, another of the offseason’s biggest moves, the trade that landed Jonathan Greenard, gets lost in the shuffle, but that’s one of those acquisitions that might prove to be just as important.
Maybe it’s the injury concerns. Maybe it’s the excitement about the Eagles‘ new offense, but this one hasn’t gotten enough mention. Here are four reasons why that should change.
Jonathan Greenard solves one of the Eagles’ biggest needs
Philadelphia entered the offseason needing another proven edge rusher. Jaelan Phillips departed in free agency, creating a void opposite Nolan Smith while placing even greater pressure on Jalyx Hunt’s development.
Greenard immediately fills that vacancy. He’s arguably an upgrade for Phillips if healthy. Remember, he had injury concerns of his own. Just like that, Greenard became the Eagles’ best pass rusher upon arrival. Instead of relying solely on youth, the Eagles added a player with an established history of disrupting quarterbacks. That’s exactly what championship contenders should do, and because they have, this pass rush may be even better than it was last season.
Greenard’s recent sack story doesn’t tell the whole story
Casual fans often judge pass rushers by sacks. NFL evaluators know there’s much more to it. Greenard finished last season with only three sacks in 12 games, but he also notched a 23.3 percent pass-rush win rate, which actually ranks among some of the best edge defenders.
That’s elite production. Pressure creates hurried throws, turnovers, and eventually sacks, even if the box score doesn’t always reflect it immediately. Make no mistake, though. The Eagles are paying Greenard to generate sacks, not hurries. He has to bring guys down when he gets home under pressure.
Vic Fangio knows how to maximize edge rushers
Greenard also lands in an ideal situation. Vic Fangio’s defenses have consistently generated production from disciplined edge defenders capable of winning one-on-one matchups.
Greenard can ball, and he has some help. With Jalen Carter collapsing pockets from the interior and Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt commanding attention off the opposite edge, Greenard may find himself facing more favorable matchups than he has in years.
Championship teams don’t rely on one pass rusher
Greenard could be eyeing a significant statistical bounce-back. The Eagles learned last season how valuable a deep rotation can be. This is another nice grouping: Greenard, Smith, Hunt, and a defensive front that should again rank among the NFL’s best.
Fresh legs matter over a 17-game season. Rather than asking Greenard to carry the defense, Philadelphia simply needs him to win his share of snaps consistently.
If Philadelphia’s evaluation proves accurate, that’s exactly what he’ll do. By the time the calendar reaches November, the Jonathan Greenard trade may no longer feel like one of Philadelphia’s quieter moves. It may instead be remembered as one of Howie Roseman’s smartest ones.
This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: 4 reasons the Eagles’ Jonathan Greenard trade deserves more attention
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