The 49ers are welcoming back one of their own.
Linebacker Dre Greenlaw is returning to San Francisco on a one-year, $7.5 million deal, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported.
Greenlaw began his career with the Niners as a fifth-round pick in the 2019 draft and slowly blossomed into a key contributor in San Francisco's defense, rising to a starting role in 2022 and making 30 starts from 2022-2023 while amassing 247 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 10 passes defensed, one interception and two forced fumbles over that span. He helped the 49ers reach Super Bowl LVIII in the 2023 season but suffered a brutal Achilles injury while running from the sideline onto the field at Allegiant Stadium, costing him almost all of the following campaign.
After appearing in just two games in 2024, Greenlaw left San Francisco for a three-year, $35 million deal with the Denver Broncos, joining another rising defense but struggling to stay on the field due to multiple injuries. After one season, Denver cut Greenlaw and chose to spend its cap on retaining two other linebackers (Justin Strnad, Alex Singleton), sending him back to free agency.
Greenlaw returns to San Francisco with a new item atop his agenda: Get to know new defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who replaced Robert Saleh after the latter took the top job in Tennessee in January. Greenlaw turns 29 in May and will fill a depth role in San Francisco, where the 49ers learned the value of trusted veterans down the depth chart after watching injuries wreak havoc on the linebacking corps last season.