Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio just confirmed what many were wondering: Jonathan Greenard’s return is still a day-by-day situation, and after his first practice back, Fangio called his performance “Okay.” That’s not exactly the ringing endorsement you want for a key edge rusher heading into Week 1, and it means the Eagles’ defensive line is going to be relying on a serious rotation against the Commanders this Sunday.
Greenard’s Grind and The Rotation Plan
Fangio made it clear Greenard hasn’t practiced much yet, and they’re being careful with him. His first session back? Just “Okay.” The DC even compared Greenard’s situation to Aaron Donald, who was dealing with rustiness, not injury, and wasn’t ready in his own Week 1. Bottom line: it’s gonna be a bit before Greenard is game-ready for a full load. Until then, expect a pretty good rotation of rushers. But Fangio isn’t sweating it totally, saying he’s got confidence in Arnold Ebiketie and A.J. Epenesa, especially with them dropping back into coverage. He noted both have shown a lot of improvement during camp, which is a good sign, because they’ll need ’em.
Week 1: A “Crapshoot” Against a New OC
Preparing for Week 1 against the Commanders is already tough enough, but they’re rocking a new offensive coordinator, David Blough. Fangio admitted that’s “a little different than normal.” He explained you really don’t know a whole lot about what the offense will or won’t be. You just have to make assumptions, right or wrong. They’ll probably mix in some stuff that Jayden Daniels was good at and comfortable with, plus whatever the new guy wants to do. Fangio bluntly called it “a little bit of a crapshoot.” He also confirmed they might need to rotate guys, especially up front, earlier in the season. It won’t be about a set number of snaps, though. It’s more about the flow of the game; if the defense is out there for 8-10 plays and the offense goes three-and-out, that’s extra stress, and they’ll rotate more.
Safeties Locked In, Versatility On Deck
On the back end, Fangio confirmed that Marcus Epps will get the start at safety against Washington on Sunday, praising him as “solid the whole way through.” But don’t sleep on Michael Carter III, either. The Eagles still like him and have the ability to play him there some too. Fangio was clear they have a role carved out for Carter because he’s a versatile dude. He can play nickel, dime, and safety, and they absolutely plan on using that versatility this season.
So, all eyes on Sunday against the Commanders. Can the Eagles’ rotated D-line handle a “crapshoot” offense? And how will that Epps-Carter tandem look in action? This Week 1 opener is gonna tell us a lot about where this defense stands.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleeding Green Nation.
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