San Francisco 49ers LBs Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw
Getty
San Francisco 49ers LBs Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw
T
he San Francisco 49ers have had a every eventful offseason. Making headlines when they signed future Hall of Fame wide receiver, Mike Evans, the 49ers are serious about returning to Super Bowl contention and staying competitive in a loaded NFC West. Having holes at several spots on the roster, the 49ers went into this offseason knowing that they had a lot to do in order to see sustained success in 2026. And after adding Evans, the 49ers did not stop there, making other notable moves– including re-signing linebacker Dre Greenlaw to a one-year deal.
Greenlaw started his career with the team before departing for the Denver Broncos in free agency last offseason. But since Greenlaw’s departure, the 49ers have struggled to fill the void and after the Broncos released him, the 49ers instantly jumped the gun to bring him back. Speaking on Greenlaw’s return for the first time, 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan did not shy away from voicing his excitement on reuniting with his former 2019 draft pick.
Shanahan: ‘Very Excited’ That Greenlaw is Back
A star when healthy for the 49ers, recording consecutive 100-tackle seasons in 2022 and ’23. And while Greenlaw’s final season with the 49ers in 2024 saw him play in only two games with him recovering from an Achilles injury, the team wanted him to return for 2025. Now back with the team, Shanahan is excited to not only have him back, but for him to pair up with Fred Warner again– where the two of them can continue bringing out the best in each other.
“Very excited,” Shanahan said to NBC Sports Bay Area about having Greenlaw back. “Dre is one of my favorite players ever — people ever. We were heartbroken that we lost him last year, but it was just a year away, and he’s right back at home and we are very excited.”
“It’s special,” Shanahan added on Greenlaw and Warner’s relationship. “Those guys went through a lot together. They have a special friendship, and Dre is special to all of us — so, pumped to get his family back.”
Greenlaw will compete against Dee Winters for the starting job opposite Warner, and while Greenlaw has the track record and pedigree, he needs to show that his Achilles injury is a thing of the past and that he still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
Greenlaw’s Career Thus Far
A fifth round draft pick, Greenlaw played his first stint with the 49ers from 2019-24, evolving into a star right out of the gate. Playing in all 16 games as a rookie (11 starts), Greenlaw recorded 92 tackles, a sack and an interception and played a vital role in the 49ers making it the Super Bowl that season– securing the No. 1 seed for the team when he made a pivotal goal line stop in the regular season finale.
Battling with injuries over the next couple of seasons, Greenlaw broke out in 2022, recording a career high of 127 tackles in 15 games while following that up with a 120 tackle campaign in the 49ers Super Bowl season in 2023. Greenlaw played the two games in 2024 before signing a three-year deal with the Broncos last offseason– but was cut after playing in only eight games and recording 43 tackles in his lone season in Denver.