The Vikings’ pass-rush renovation begins with two free agents: Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel.
Jonathan Greenard says he’s not with the Vikings to fill shoes of Danielle Hunter
Jonathan Greenard, who had 12.5 sacks for the Texans last season, arrives as the Vikings’ top pass rusher following Danielle Hunter’s exit to Houston.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
March 15, 2024 at 2:06AM
Greenard, coming off a career-high 12.5 sacks last season for the Houston Texans, is the top player in the Vikings’ free-agent haul so far. On Wednesday, he signed a four-year deal worth $76 million. The Vikings’ best outgoing pass rusher, Danielle Hunter, swapped places with Greenard. Hunter, who graduated from a suburban Houston high school, agreed this week to a two-year, $49 million deal with the Texans.
But Greenard hopes the comparisons stop there.
“My job was not to come in here and fill any shoes,” Greenard said Thursday at TCO Performance Center in Eagan. “My job is to come in and be myself, do what got me here to this point. You won’t see me switching anything up.”
He added: “I’m not oblivious to what’s going on, but that doesn’t change me at all. I’m going to be the same person. … The same JG that everybody knows, still talking trash, everybody is going to love me. But man, I’m not changing nothing up.”
Greenard and Hunter do share a rise from the NFL’s middle class.
Greenard, who turns 27 in May, was a three-star recruit from Hiram, Ga., a small town outside Atlanta, who transferred from Louisville to Florida for a breakout season in the SEC. In 2020, the Texans spent a third-round pick on Greenard after his career-high 10 sacks in one year for the Gators.
Greenard’s development continued despite dysfunction in Houston. He played for five different head coaches: Bill O’Brien, Romeo Crennel, David Culley, Lovie Smith and DeMeco Ryans.
He was still ready when opportunity struck with the arrival of Ryans, the former 49ers defensive coordinator, and rookie edge rusher Will Anderson Jr., last year’s No. 3 overall pick. With a better defensive scheme and surrounding talent, Greenard forced a career-high 53 quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
This season, Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores will be Greenard’s fifth different coordinator in five NFL seasons.
“I’ve actually been dealing with D-coordinator changes since college,” Greenard said. “It kind of helped me prepare for that and just understand to be versatile in any system. I think that’s a great thing that I learned football in all types of schemes: 3-4, 4-3, you name it.”
“Thankfully my job is a lot easier than others, I can just rush and go get the quarterback,” he added. “Not too much more thinking than that. But coming into a system like this, we are going to be used in a lot of different ways that I’ve done before.”
The Vikings doubled down on edge support this week, adding Van Ginkel, the Rock Valley, Iowa, native and former Badgers linebacker.
Van Ginkel, 28, agreed to a two-year deal worth up to $20 million. He’s reuniting with Flores, who was the Dolphins head coach when Miami drafted Van Ginkel in 2019′s fifth round. He’s accustomed to multiple roles like dropping into coverage and rushing the passer.
“I have a good relationship with Brian and just my time with him in Miami, he’s kind of really molded me into the player I am today,” Van Ginkel said. “We went through kind of a lot of hard times, but just the way he used me, it’s very versatile. Being able to line up in different positions makes it difficult on opponents.”
Last season, Van Ginkel was the Dolphins’ highest-graded defender by Pro Football Focus. He set career highs with six sacks and eight pass deflections. For five years, he was a productive defender and special teams contributor in Miami.
Now he’s tasked, along with Greenard, with carrying the torch of a storied legacy of Vikings pass rushers.
“Honored to be even considered in that type of category,” Greenard said. “I feel I can definitely achieve those things … A storyline of players: you got John Randle, [Chris] Doleman, Jared Allen, you name it. I see myself getting the quarterback the same way.”
The Vikings hope to surround Greenard and Van Ginkel with as many capable pass rushers as possible. More help may arrive through the draft after the Vikings lost three edge rushers — Hunter (Texans), Marcus Davenport (Lions) and D.J. Wonnum (Panthers) — in free agency.
Hunter, a 2015 third-round pick, posted a goodbye message to Vikings coaches, teammates and fans after he had 87.5 sacks in 119 games for Minnesota.
“I appreciate you all more than you know,” Hunter wrote. “We have created some incredible moments and memories together that I will never forget! I will deeply miss this organization and fan base.”
Mike Conley was in Minneapolis, where he sounded the Gjallarhorn at the Vikings game, on Sunday during the robbery.
