The Niners have a lot of excess here.
It wasn’t too shocking to see the San Francisco 49ers make an immediate move to reunite with linebacker Dre Greenlaw not long after the Denver Broncos released him just one year into a three-year contract signed last offseason.
Despite a notable injury history, including his Denver stint, Greenlaw pairing back with All-Pro Fred Warner is a sight Niners fans can’t wait to see again.
But it’s not necessarily great news for everyone else on the offseason roster.
Granted, San Francisco understood the hard way why having depth backers can be so important. Injuries decimated the position a year ago, forcing general manager John Lynch to sign available free agents off the street late last year, including veteran Eric Kendricks.
Heading deeper into the offseason, though, Greenlaw’s return ultimately puts several linebackers on the hot seat, including one who might see his 49ers tenure come to a close sooner than expected now.
Dre Greenlaw suddenly makes Dee Winters an expendable commodity
As soon as Greenlaw left in free agency for Denver last offseason, thoughts of promoting then two-year pro Dee Winters into a prominent role surfaced, and there were even comparisons between the two at various points throughout 2025.
But Winters isn’t a Greenlaw-caliber player, and the Niners already have plenty of depth options rostered who can help guard against the likelihood of another Greenlaw injury.
Tatum Bethune served well in interim roles last season, as did the recently re-signed Luke Gifford. And while his rookie year was an utter disappointment, Nick Martin still commands some hope of a major leap in year two.
As for Winters, he’s entering a contract year and will count for $3.7 million against the salary cap. Should San Francisco decide his roster spot isn’t worthy, it could save $3.67 million in cap space by waiving him ahead of the regular season. The 49ers may also seek out a potential trade partner, too, although Lynch may have to be patient and see how that market develops over the course of summer.
About the only way Winters can solidify a prominent spot on the Niners roster is by outplaying the rest of the depth options and becoming as much a Greenlaw-like player as possible.
