'Most underrated edge player in football': Jonathan Greenard has Titans' attention

Greenard has tallied 7 sacks and 48 pressures for the Vikings defense this season

Sep 22, 2024; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Jonathan Greenard (58) sacks Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) in the third quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-Imagn Images / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Jonathan Greenard has been a force this season for the Vikings defense, so much so that he's started to garner the national attention befitting a top-end edge rusher. Titans head coach Brian Callahan added to the praise Wednesday when he declared Greenard as "the most underrated edge player in football right now."

"He's playing fantastic," said Callahan at his Wednesday press conference. "I think he's really, really good."

Greenard, 27, has helped the Vikings transform into one of the most feared units in the league this season. He leads the team in sacks (7.0) and is only behind fellow edge rusher Andrew Van Ginkel in tackles for loss (8). Greenard currently has career-high defensive (83.3) and pass rush grades (81.3) from Pro Football Focus, and his 48 total pressures is third-most among all edge rushers.

Greenard was among a number of players that Callahan named when asked why the Vikings defense has been so successful.

"One, good players. That's the first thing, those guys do a really good job on defense, just the personnel in general," Callahan said. "They've got a collection of veteran players that are smat, they can handle the scheme. They're really intelligent between Stephon Gilmore and Harrison Smith, it's a good group. Ivan Pace really jumps off the tape, particularly as a blitzer, he's a really good player. Good players is the starting point."

That fercoious defense will be a Tennessee squad that ranks sixth-worst in pass blocking grade (58.5) and has allowed quarterbacks Will Levis and Mason Rudolph to be sacked 28 times, tied for sixth-most in the NFL.

"Really well-coached," Callahan said of the Vikings defense. "Really well-designed scheme and they've obviously made life really, really hard for quarterbacks thus far this season."