Entering the 2025 season, there might not be a better one-two punch at edge rusher than Jonathan Greenard and Andrew Van Ginkel of the Minnesota Vikings.
Greenard and Van Ginkel combined for 23.5 sacks and 41 quarterback hits in 2024 with the Vikings. According to Pro Football Focus, Greenard was ranked third in the NFL in pressures with 80, while Van Ginkel was ranked 26th with 49.
These are impactful players for the Vikings who the team will have for a long time, pressuring quarterbacks. How do they rank among the top edge rushers in the NFC North with Micah Parsons now on the Green Bay Packers after the trade with the Dallas Cowboys?
Minnesota Vikings pass-rushing tandem not ranked No. 1 in NFC North
CBS Sports' Tyler Sullivan ranked the top five pass rushers in the NFC North. The Vikings had both Greenard and Van Ginkel tied for third behind Detroit Lions' Aidan Hutchinson at No. 2 and Parsons at No. 1. Sullivan highlights Van Ginkel first in the ranking.
"Van Ginkel was part of a tremendous slew of offseason additions for the Vikings in 2024. Upon arrival, he made major splashes, vaulting to Pro Bowl status along with earning a second-team All-Pro nod. All that came after he posted 49 pressures and 11.5 sacks on a 12.6% pressure rate.
Alongside Jonathan Greenard (who we'll highlight below), Van Ginkel produced 23.5 sacks, which was the second most for a duo in the NFL last season.
They also did so with a heavy workload as defensive coordinator Brian Flores blitzed a league-leading 42% of the time in 2024. And Van Ginkel answered the bell."
Throughout his career, Van Ginkel was good at getting to the quarterback, but struggled to finish with sacks. Last year was his best with a career-high 10.5 sacks as he earned his first Pro Bowl selection. His performance led to the Vikings adding to Van Ginkel's contract with a one-year, $23 million extension.
Greenard was up next to be discussed for Sullivan as he is a more established pass rusher in the NFL.
"The 28-year-old maintained his momentum from his rare Year 4 breakout (12.5 sacks) with the Houston Texans in 2023, which he parlayed into a $76 million contract with the Vikings in 2024.
During his first season in Minnesota, Greenard put together another 12-sack campaign that led to his first-ever Pro Bowl nod. In Flores' blitz-heavy scheme, Greenard thrived, applying a career-high 80 pressures and a 15.9% pressure rate.
Van Ginkel may have been the one to earn an All-Pro nod, but Greenard is the better pure rusher."
Greenard has had back-to-back seasons with at least 12 sacks, and three of the last four have had eight sacks in a season. He added 22 quarterback hits and a career-high four forced fumbles to also land on the Pro Bowl roster for the first time.
Parsons will get all the attention as he's one of the premier pass rushers in the game. Minnesota would rather have two great pass rushers versus one, which is what makes the Vikings a more dangerous team than people are giving them credit for.
Greenard and Van Ginkel are great complementary pieces to each other off the edge. When one gets double-teamed, the other can explode off the line in one-on-one situations and win off of just speed alone.
Green Bay can have Parsons. The Vikings are good with having two significant edge rushers versus just one. Every team in the NFL should be put on notice with how good Minnesota's pass rush is.