Top Free Agent Fits For Texans DE Jonathan Greenard

This is an interesting year to need help at edge rusher. There’s talent at the top of the draft like always, but things thin out quicker than usual. That puts more of a premium on the top options in free agency, including Texans DE Jonathan Greenard. 

The former third-round pick isn’t a household name but there’s a lot to like about his profile which is why we have him listed inside our top ten free agents this year. He had 12.5 sacks in 2023 to set a new career high. It was his first year with double-digit sacks but he was on pace for that number in his second season in 2021 when he had eight in 12 games. 

Greenard was also sixth in the NFL in pass rush win rate, per ESPN, showing that high number of sacks wasn’t just a result of some high-effort cleanup for talented teammates. Pro Football Focus credited him with more modest pressure numbers, but his pass rush efficiency stats still put him in the upper range of starters. 

The Texans are willing to let Greenard test the market to see what he can find and if he can exceed the number they have for him. He should have plenty of teams interested, especially teams that rely on a four-down front and don’t drop their edges into coverage. Greenard might not break $20 million a year unless there’s a desperate team but he should land more than $17 million. 

Greenard, 26, was a one-year starter at Florida after transferring from Louisville as a senior. He earned first-team All-SEC honors before the Texans selected him with the No. 90 pick in the third round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

He played out a four-year, $4,584,223 rookie contract that includes an $893,982 signing bonus. 

In 2023, Greenard appeared in 15 games for the Texans and recorded 52 total tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two pass deflections.

We have him included in our Top 100 2024 NFL Free Agents list. 

Browns

One of the items on the Browns’ to-do list this offseason is finding players who can either take attention away from DE Myles Garrett, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, or thrive with the matchups creates by Garrett drawing so much focus. Veteran OLB Za’Darius Smith was perfect for that role last year but he’s a pending free agent and the Browns might not be interested or able to keep him. 

Greenard would be a younger bookend to Garrett and give the Browns a second quality edge rusher to keep their pass rush full of teeth. He’s an excellent fit in DC Jim Schwartz‘s attacking system. It’s also worth noting new Browns DL coach Jacques Cesaire was Greenard’s position coach for the past few seasons, so there’s already a familiar connection for both sides to feel comfortable with the move. 

If there’s a downside here, it’s that Greenard won’t be cheap and the Browns have significant resources invested on the defensive line already. However, they can create some cap space with a restructure of QB Deshaun Watson as they try and maximize the team around him, enough for a big splash for a player like Greenard if they want. 

Bears

Chicago has plenty of money to spend this offseason, and while they locked up one edge rusher spot with last year’s trade for DE Montez Sweat, he could use someone across from him. Greenard would give the Bears two defensive ends with double-digit sack potential which would go a long way toward boosting a defense that seems to be on the rise already. 

While tying up big money in two defensive ends isn’t the most efficient use of resources, the Bears have the luxury of being able to do moves like this because they’ll have a starting quarterback on a rookie contract for the next four years at least. They can throw cash at other holes on the roster to try and build up the team around the rookie and help him hit the ground running. 

And while there’s no direct connection on the team to Greenard, we can play a little six degrees of Kevin Bacon. Chicago just hired DL coach Eric Washington, who is one of the most respected DL coaches in the league and just finished a long tenure with the Bills. In 2020 before the pandemic, the Bills were scheduled to host Greenard for a private visit or a workout, one they presumably made up over zoom. If Washington liked Greenard then, he almost certainly likes him now. 

Eagles

Eagles GM Howie Roseman is a big believer in keeping the line of scrimmage strong on both sides of the ball. With Eagles DE Haason Reddick and now DE Josh Sweat both coming up in trade rumors ahead of the start of free agency next week, Philadelphia is dangerously close to becoming shorthanded at one of the most important positions in their mind outside of quarterback. 

If Roseman is really thinking about trading one or both of Sweat and Reddick, there are a few things we can infer. One, he’s not willing to extend either at the price point they’re looking for, which in Reddick’s case is almost certainly more than $20 million a year. 

Two, a pass rush featuring just 2023 first-rounder Nolan Smith and veteran Brandon Graham is not nearly good enough for Roseman’s standards. He has a big splash in mind to replace either Sweat or Reddick or both, and that big splash could be Greenard. He’d be cheaper and younger than Reddick, and perhaps Roseman thinks he has more of a ceiling that could be unlocked with the Eagles.

In terms of connections, Eagles LB coach Bobby King was an assistant in Houston in 2020 and 2021 and could give the team an inside scoop on Greenard and his potential fit in Philadelphia.