Coming off a frustrating end to the 2025 NFL season, with Bo Nix forced to sit on the sideline of a very winnable game against the New England Patriots in the AFC Championship, the Broncos had some work to do this offseason.
They've already brought back running back J.K. Dobbins, and while John Franklin-Myers still needs to be replaced, they have addressed their biggest defensive need: linebacker. Alex Singleton and Justin Strnad are back in Denver.
However, they did release Dre Greenlaw following those re-signings. This decision, to cut the former San Francisco 49ers linebacker, drew criticism from Bleacher Report's Kristopher Knox, who made the case for why the Broncos will regret this release.
Why Broncos will regret release of Dre Greenlaw
"If Greenlaw goes on to shine elsewhere, the Broncos will regret letting him go," Knox writes, "especially when his contract looks quite reasonable compared to some of the linebacker deals we've seen this offseason."
Last offseason, the Broncos signed Greenlaw to a three-year, $31.5 million contract. The former 49ers linebacker came to Denver alongside Niners teammate Talanoa Hufanga.
While the safety signing worked out well, Greenlaw struggled for the Broncos. He was suspended for a game due to unsportsmanlike conduct towards an official, and was hurt for most of the season, playing in just eight games by season's end.
In his limited action, he had one interception, two passes defended, one forced fumble, one sack, 43 tackles, two tackles for loss, and two quarterback hits.
While he didn't play much, when he was on the field, he was a solid contributor. Bringing back Singleton and Strnad to multi-year contracts, and cutting ties with Greenlaw, is a decision the Broncos might come to regret next year.
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Greenlaw's ceiling is very high, as he has shown he can be one of the best linebackers in the NFL when healthy.
Of course, his injury history doesn't instill much confidence, but cutting ties with Greenlaw, a high-upside linebacker after just one year on a reasonable deal, seems a bit premature.
He's going to be 29 years old in 2026. Heading into the final two years of his $31.5 million three-year deal, which pays out $10.5 million per-season, would've been a reasonable price to pay for a high-upside, low-floor linebacker like Greenlaw.
This release decision from the Broncos might be one they come to regret this offseason. Greenlaw will likely land on a new team, and if he can live up to the hype, he could be in store for a big season in 2026 after a roller coaster of a 2025 season.
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