No disrespect to Greenlaw. He’s had a terrific career with the 49ers. But he’ll be 28 this year and he’s coming off a season in which he played just 34 snaps after tearing his Achilles in the Super Bowl. It’s unclear how durable he will be in the future.
Instead of signing Greenlaw and hoping he stays healthy, Pro Football Network predicts the 49ers will sign Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton.
“It is intriguing to put a player like Nick Bolton next to Fred Warner,” writes Pro Football Network analyst Ben Rolfe. “Bolton was the centerpiece of the Chiefs’ offense and has the chance to be Warner’s long-term partner in the center of the 49ers defense. We have seen that the 49ers place a high importance on the position and Bolton could be the next evolution of that.
“Bolton has three 100-tackle seasons in his first four years and has also proven a nuisance around the quarterback. He is a versatile piece that feels like a luxury for the 49ers, but he can get after the passer or drop into coverage. The thought of Warner and Bolton together in a defense will be terrifying for opposing offenses.”
Bolton would be an outstanding signing for the 49ers, who has spent big money on linebackers in the past (see: Kwon Alexander). But they’ve never spent a ton on two linebackers at once, and Fred Warner is expensive.
I think the 49ers are more likely to draft a linebacker.
