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San Francisco 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw

The San Francisco 49ers have many questions to answer this offseason, and one involves the “motor” of the team’s defense.

San Francisco is looking to return to the playoffs in 2025 after a disappointing 2024 campaign. Injuries plagued the team throughout the season, which saw players such as LB Dre Greenlaw miss significant time.

But while Greenlaw’s injury history is concerning, SI.com’s Jose Luis Sanchez III thinks he’s worth the gamble. In a January 28 write-up, Sanchez urges the 49ers to re-sign Greenlaw in free agency.

“Greenlaw only managed to play one-half of football and three snaps in 2024. It’s not an encouraging sign of where he is at physically, so there are concerns and risks with him if the 49ers commit to him. However, it is a risk worth taking. The 49ers should re-sign Greenlaw,” Sanchez wrote. “He is the motor of the defense. Every elite defense needs a tone-setter and someone to be uplifting. Greenlaw is that player for the 49ers. They won’t be able to find anyone to replace that in free agency or the draft.”

When Greenlaw’s been healthy for San Francisco, he’s been close to elite. Besides high-quality play, he provides a hard-nosed edge that every NFL defense looks for to set the tone.

Greenlaw’s Injury History

During the 2024 Super Bowl, Greenlaw’s Achilles tear was one of the major moments of the game. While running onto the field, the veteran linebacker tripped and suffered a brutal non-play injury.

While he attempted to return for the final stretch of the 2024 season, he barely played. Greenlaw appeared in the Week 15 loss to the Los Angeles Rams as well as the Week 16 loss to the Miami Dolphins, but only played portions of the games as he dealt with calf-related injuries.

And while that’s concerning on its own, Greenlaw’s injury history runs deeper than that. In 2020 Greenlaw missed two games due to a quad injury and then missed the majority of the 2021 season due to a groin injury that required surgery.

Greenlaw’s presence in the locker room has been critical under head coach Kyle Shanahan, but the 49ers may not be able to risk relying on him. The former Arkansas Razorback is in his athletic prime at 27 years old, but San Francisco simply can’t guarantee that he will be able to play the majority of the 2025 season.

49ers Decision Could Hinge on Money

As with every personnel decision, the finances have to work. While Greenlaw isn’t in a place to demand much in terms of a potential contract, he has been drastically underpaid compared to his potential value.

In his 6 years in the NFL, Greenlaw has made $19.2 million according to Spotrac. Unfortunately for the 49ers veteran, his poor injury luck has gotten in the way of a mega contract. He won’t be expecting one now, but it would be hard to blame him for trying to get the biggest deal possible as he sets up for his third NFL deal.

If he does decide to cash out, that probably won’t be with San Francisco. The Niners can afford to pay him, but general manager John Lynch is known for being shrewd with his money. The solution could perhaps be in a incentive-driven, short-term deal that would still give Greenlaw a chance for a high-paying contract after the 2025 season.