The Philadelphia Eagles are paying edge rusher Jonathan Greenard a lot of money not to play football — as of the start of the 2026 regular season.
“Jonathan Greenard ruled out for Sunday’s opener,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on Friday.
The Eagles host the Washington Commanders in Week 1.
“The Eagles have ruled out LB Jonathan Greenard (pec) for Sunday,” NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo wrote on his official X account. “Rookie TE Eli Stowers (hamstring) is questionable.”
The Eagles traded draft picks to the Minnesota Vikings in April for Greenard then signed him to a 4-year, $98 million contract extension. He missed all of training camp and all of the preseason with the pec injury but attempted to practice with pads on for the 1st time this week.
“Eagles edge rusher Jonathan Greenard has been listed out for Sunday’s game with his pectoral injury, per the team,” The Athletic’s Brooks Kubena wrote on his official X account.
History of Injury Issues for Jonathan Greenard
The injury problems that have dogged Greenard throughout his NFL career with the Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings seem to have followed him to the Eagles.
Philadelphia traded a pair of 3rd-round picks to the Vikings for Greenard in April after he missed 5 games in 2025 with a shoulder injury that required surgery — the Eagles signed Greenard to a 4-year, $98 million contract extension following the trade. That deal included $50 million in guaranteed money.
Greenard, 6-foot-3 and 263 pounds, is a dominant player when he’s healthy — as evidenced by consecutive seasons with at least 12.0 sacks in 2023 and 2024 and missed just 2 regular-season games in that stretch.
Eagles Turn to Pair of Young Edge Rushers
With Greenard out, the Eagles have to rely on a pair of young edge rushers in Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt against the Commanders, who will be without their best offensive lineman in left offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil.
Tunsil suffered a torn triceps tendon during training and is predicted to miss all of the regular season.
Hunt led the Eagles in sacks (6.5) and interceptions (3) in 2025. Smith had 3.0 sacks in just 12 games after missing 5 games with his own pec injury.
Eagles Get Terrible Injury News on $98 Million Edge Rusher