Brian Flores was hired in 2023 to fix a broken defense after three years of subpar units on that side of the ball. Elite results followed a slow start, but his unit imploded in the final four weeks of the season. Partly, that can be attributed to the offenses catching up with the defensive scheme, but the lack of playmakers also played a role.
A Vikings Defender Is Quietly Entering Award Conversations
That’s why general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah replaced roughly half of the defensive starters in free agency. Through the first half of the season, his signings Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and Blake Cashman in the front seven, and Shaq Griffin and Stephon Gilmore in the secondary have done a wonderful job.
The defense was dominant in six of the eight games and helped the club secure an unexpected 6-2 record.
Many were concerned about the exit of four-time Pro Bowler Danielle Hunter, who signed a two-year contract with his hometown team, the Houston Texans. The good news, however, is that Greenard has not just replaced him; he has perhaps been even better. His first eight games with the franchise have been extraordinarily good.
Early in the season, the former Texan was overshadowed by Van Ginkel’s splash plays, but the longer the season is going, the more Greenard can distance himself as a consistent pass-rush threat.
According to Pro Football Focus, Greenard has generated the most QB pressures in the NFL (48) despite playing in only eight games because of the bye week. Many other players have not had their bye weeks and therefore, have played an extra game. He has also pressured opposing quarterbacks at least five times in each of his eight games, which is impressive.
In the recent game against the Colts, Greenard registered two sacks against veteran quarterback Joe Flacco. His total for the season is seven. Considering the pressure numbers, there’s a reasonable chance that his sack numbers will rise significantly in the second half of the season. The case can be made that he has underperformed in that category, and more “sack luck” is on the way.
A strong final nine games could catapult him into the Defensive Player of the Year conversation, joining stars like T.J. Watt or Dexter Lawrence. Unfortunately, like in all other award races, players with a more prominent name generate more buzz, but the top pass rusher of one of the top defenses in the league will get some recognition if he produces the requisite numbers.
The popular betting places have him listed right outside of the top ten.
The defender signed a four-year, $76 million contract in March. He is tied for 14th in the NFL among edge rushers with an annual salary of $19 million. To this point, he has been well worth that money.
Greenard is in his fifth NFL season. The first three were somewhat quiet, with only 10.5 total sacks in those campaigns. His breakout season came in 2023 with the arrival of new head coach DeMeco Ryans, who unleashed the former third-rounder and helped him pile up 12.5 sacks and, subsequently, a payday in free agency.
In 56 career games, Greenard has amassed 30 sacks, 143 tackles, and 39 tackles for loss. If the 27-year-old can continue to be that disruptive against run and pass, he will be a steal for the Vikings.
Editor’s Note: Information from Over The Cap and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt