Dre Greenlaw’s first season with the Denver Broncos has been defined more by absence than production. The linebackersigned a 3-year, $31.5 million contract with $11.5 million guaranteed after departing San Francisco.
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Sep 21, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Denver Broncos linebacker Dre Greenlaw (57) on the sidelines prior to the game against the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Through 10 weeks, Greenlawhas logged only 85 defensive snaps. That figure represents a significant increase from his 34 snaps in 2024, but falls far short of expectations for a major free agent addition.
Injuries have derailed Greenlaw’sDenver debut from the start. He missed most of the 2024 season with the 49ers after tearing his Achilles during Super Bowl 58. The injury required extensive rehabilitation and limited his availability.
A torn quadriceps suffered during April workouts created additional setbacks. Greenlaw missed the entire preseason as he continued recovering. He sat out Denver’s first 6 games of the regular season.
His return to action brought more obstacles. Greenlaw played less than 40 percent of defensive snaps in both Week 7 and Week 9. He missed Week 8 entirely due to a 1-game suspension.
The suspension stemmed from an incident where Greenlaw chased referee Brad Allen to dispute a pass interference call. The confrontation occurred after Denver’s Week 7 game and drew disciplinary action from the league.
Dre Greenlaw will have his biggest role yet on the Broncos this week against the Chiefs pic.twitter.com/3ZllgsZzOh
— Zac Stevens (@ZacStevensDNVR) November 14, 2025
Week 10 provided the first encouraging sign of Greenlaw’s impact. He played 62 percent of Denver’s defensive snaps in the victory over Las Vegas. That marked his highest usage rate since joining the Broncos.
Denver Turns to Dre Greenlaw as the Primary Off-Ball Linebacker
Greenlaw’s increased playing time coincides with Alex Singleton’s absence from the lineup. Singleton underwent surgery for testicular cancer, creating an immediate need at off-ball linebacker for Denver’s defense.
The Broncos need Greenlaw to assume the primary off-ball linebacker role until Singleton returns. His Week 10 performance suggests he’s finally healthy enough to handle that responsibility moving forward.
When Singleton returns to full strength, Denver’s linebacker rotation will shift again. Greenlaw will transition to the second off-ball linebacker spot, replacing Justin Strnad in that capacity.