Decisions, decisions. What will happen with San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw in free agency?
The 28-year-old to be was limited to two games in 2024. Greenlaw had over 115 tackles in each of the previous two seasons and was consistently one of the best defenders on the best defense. In the one full game he played with the 49ers in 2024, Greenlaw was arguably the best player on the field.
We don’t need to tell you about Greenlaw’s impact, nor should we have to discuss his injury history. There’s a reason the 49ers want Greenlaw back, but there’s also a reason why he’ll have multiple suitors in free agency.
The Athletic’s Michael Silver tweeted, “The 49ers really want Dre Greenlaw to return. At least three other teams really want him. It’ll be hard for the 49ers to keep Fred Warner’s partner in grime — not impossible, though.
Silver followed up with the three teams that could land Dre outside of the Niners: The Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans.
Greenlaw could reunite with his former training camp roommate and good friend Azeez Al-Shaair in Houston. DeMeco Ryans's presence on the other end of that phone call would make it awfully enticing for Greenlaw to sign with the Texans. That, and them being a perennial playoff team with a franchise quarterback, should help. It’s worth noting that Houston has the fifth-least amount of cap space in the NFL, at just over $4 million.
The Falcons aren’t much higher, at $9 million, while Denver has plenty of money to work with at $40 million. What would a contract for Greenlaw look like? Cap guru Joel Corry believes it’ll likely be a one-year deal:
Lack of durability may impact Dre Greenlaw. He might be looking at those Nick Bolton & Jamien Sherwood deals as new benchmark. If so, it could be a one-year deal for Greenlaw. https://t.co/exT61cYCm8
— Joel Corry (@corryjoel) March 10, 2025
Where do you believe Greenlaw lands? Scroll down to the comments and let us know.