Jonathan Greenard, the Minnesota Vikings’ standout defensive end, has made a significant impression during the opening weeks of training camp. After earning his first Pro Bowl honor last season, Greenard has become a key figure in the Vikings’ defensive lineup, showcasing his skills and determination to improve.
Greenard signed with the Vikings in free agency ahead of the 2023 season. From that point onward, he became a terrifying presence on the gridiron. Last season, he truly broke out with 12 sacks. Of those, six occurred in high-pressure situations within the fourth quarter or overtime. He racked up nine of his 18 TFLs in those game-changing seconds. This is further evidence of his proven track record for delivering the goods when the stakes are highest.
Beyond his sack count, Greenard’s movements on the field have led to the praise of coaches and fans in regard to his versatility on defense. He dropped into coverage for a career-high 64 snaps last year. This was tied for the second most among players who recorded 10 or more sacks. For context, the average number of coverage snaps for the 15 players with at least 10 sacks was just 23.7. Only Greenard’s current teammate, Andrew Van Ginkel, had more, emphasizing Greenard’s dedication to rounding out his game.
As camp has gone on, Greenard has continued to take over practices. With these big plays, he might just be reminding everyone of his spectacular rookie campaign last season. His motto, “More is Needed,” summarizes the approach and attitude of a man determined after January’s playoff elimination of the Vikings. He did indeed make a concerted effort to prove that he can take his game to even more extraordinary heights.
Greenard already saw a major difference in his development from last year’s breakthrough. In their Week 7 matchup, he was severely outpaced by Detroit Lions tailback Jahmyr Gibbs on a wheel route. This experience motivated him to work on sharpening his coverage skills.
“It takes a lot of humility to just say, ‘Hey, I’m ready to learn today,’” – Jonathan Greenard
Brown’s even more impressive rookie season Greenard’s development has certainly caught the eye of defensive coordinator Brian Flores. According to Flores, Greenard has worked diligently on his pass rush techniques while striving for greater coverage proficiency, an essential requirement in Flores’ defensive scheme.
Greenard underscored his desire to learn and develop as a player. He stated, “I’m trying to learn something every single day so I can just build up on my game, so that nobody can stop me.” This commitment is emblematic of his desire to keep perfecting his craft.
The “Closer” nickname fits Greenard’s on-field abilities perfectly. Dirty Rush has always shown the ability to get home to QBs with blistering quickness and deceptive elusiveness. Throughout training camp, he displayed that rare and special talent. He easily ran through the blockers sent to neutralize him and got home on QB J.J. McCarthy in a hurry.
“So I feel like I can take this thing as far as God will let me. I have a lot left in the tank.” – Jonathan Greenard
Greenard’s philosophy is based on a desire to always get better, be flexible, and evolve. One, he says, that his opponents can expect certain moves. His creative genius gets bends and new angles to his approach, making him even more unpredictable.
“They may know I do a certain move, but I may have added something else to the move that they’ve never seen before. And at that point, you’re balling.” – Jonathan Greenard
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