Many Eagles fans in the Delaware Valley most likely were asking themselves, “Who is Kenyon Green?!” on Tuesday morning after Adam Schefter announced the most surprising move regarding the Eagles in that they traded fan-favorite C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans. The deal also includes a pick swap with the Eagles getting a 2026 5th-round pick and the Texans getting a 2026 6th. Fans knew who CJ-GJ was. The rowdy, unfiltered, swagger filled safety who wasn’t afraid to talk on and off the field. But who is Kenyon Green?
Highly Touted
Green spent his college career at Texas A&M playing for the Aggies from 2019-2021 where he quickly made a name for himself. As a freshman, he was named to the SEC All-Freshman team after an impressive college debut season. The following year, he moved to left guard and earned All-American honors and then as a junior, moved to tackle and once again earning All-America honors for his play. He opted to forgo his senior year and entered his name in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The Houston Texans selected him 15th overall in the draft and actually traded with Philadelphia to move down from 13th to 15th to get the offensive lineman.
As a Pro
The jump from the SEC to the NFL has not been as kind to Green as other players who have come from the top college conference in the sport. As a rookie, Green played in 15 games and started in 14 at left guard, but went through trials and tribulations, ultimately being graded as the worst guard out of 77 in the league per PFF. He allowed 47 quarterback pressures, four sacks and was tied for the second-most penalized guard in the NFL.
In 2023, Green was unable to bounce back from the tough debut, suffering a shoulder injury at the end of the preseason which forced him to miss the entire season. Last year, he returned to the field but once again was graded as one of the lowest guards in the league, putting up a 38.6 overall grade which was 131st out 134 guards per PFF. He also ranked 107th in pass blocking (39.7) and 131st in run blocking (44.6)
The newest Eagles player to enroll in Stoutland University
The Eagles are fortunate to have the best offensive line coach in the game in Jeff Stoutland. We have seen what he has been able to do with reclamation projects or with strong, physical specimens. Mekhi Becton most recently and of course, Jordan Mailata who was a rugby player prior to becoming one of the best tackles in the game. Lane Johnson tweeted this out right after the move was announced, presumably showing a seal of approval for the move.
The Eagles’ defense has been picked apart in free agency losing Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Isaiah Rodgers Oren Burks on the first day of free agency. It also was reported Darius Slay is expecting to sign with the Steelers once he is officially released by the Eagles after June 1, but that is not a done deal.
Despite that, there is room for some optimism based on Green’s stature and previous success. About to turn just 24 in a few days, Green is 6-foot-4 and 325 pounds and showed that he has the tools and skillset to succeed at the college level. If there’s any team that could unlock the potential he showed coming out of college and translate it in the NFL, it’s the Eagles.
Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images
