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Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton reacts against the New York Jets.

The Denver Broncos did what several other teams wanted to do this offseason, signing veteran linebacker Dre Greenlaw in free agency, and their reward is a top-10 player at his position with tremendous upside.

The 28-year-old arrives in Denver after six seasons with the San Francisco 49ers. He has battled injuries during his career, including a torn Achilles in the Super Bowl in 2023.

If healthy, though, Greenlaw is expected to make a big impact.

“Usually, a player coming off an injury-riddled season would not maintain his spot in the rankings,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler wrote on July 15, explaining the new Broncos star earning ninth place on the list for the second straight season. “But Greenlaw’s free agency told the story. Several league evaluators said he was the most exciting free agent, despite a torn Achilles in Super Bowl LVIII that cost him all but two games in 2024.

“When the Broncos signed him to a three-year, $31.5 million deal, the feeling of remorse out of San Francisco was real.”

Before joining the Broncos, Greenlaw was a fifth-round pick by the 49ers in the 2019 draft. He logged back-to-back 120-plus-tackle efforts during the 2022 and 2023 regular seasons despite playing in 15 games in each campaign.

Rivals Rave About Dre Greenlaw

The 49ers tried to convince Greenlaw to rethink his agreement with the Broncos before the deal was officially signed, sending general manager John Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan to visit the linebacker for one final plea.

An anonymous 49ers source told Fowler the organization “one-million percent” had “remorse” about losing Greenlaw to the Broncos.

An NFL coordinator called Greenlaw a “total savage” and “top-five” when healthy, per Fowler.

“He’s got to stay healthy and re-prove it, but he’s a badass, smart, strong, will knock the s— out of you,’ an anonymous defensive coach said, per Fowler. “I see how he stays hurt so much, because he plays with so much explosion.”

Former 49ers teammate Fred Warner, No. 1 on ESPN’s list for the second straight season, also spoke highly of Greenlaw.

Warner told The Denver Post’s Parker Gabriel, “It was truly an honor” playing with Greenlaw.

“In my opinion, he’s just getting started,” Warner said, per Gabriel in March. “He’s still so young in this game. And unfortunately for us (the Broncos) got him at the perfect time, man, where you can expect a lot of great things from him going forward in Denver.”

Greenlaw and the Broncos will open the 2025 preseason against the 49ers.

Broncos Had Early Injury Scare With Dre Greenlaw

Greenlaw’s injury history became the Broncos’ reality this offseason when reports surfaced that the veteran had suffered a torn quad muscle.

The Broncos clarified that Greenlaw was dealing with a strain and would return in time for training camp, which opens on July 22 for the team’s vets. Greenlaw also confirmed that he was not dealing with a tear, but he still missed most of the Broncos’ offseason program.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton believes strongly in their strength and conditioning staff.

“The injury data, I could give you the graph. I think – 32 teams – a year ago, we finished first. This year we’re currently second from the – I don’t want to use the wrong word – but from what was taking place prior, all right? And that’s a credit to Beau Lowery. It’s a credit to the training room, the strength and development. It’s a credit to everyone involved,” Payton told reporters in January.

“There’s more than a year of proof, there’s two years of proof. And for those prior that it didn’t work out so well for – tough. That’s just what it was. They earned those numbers. When you have 134 players miss games because of injuries, something’s wrong. And then when you have 30 something two years in a row, something’s right.”

In addition to Greenlaw, the Broncos signed Greenlaw’s former 49ers teammate Talanoa Hufanga and ex-Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram in free agency.

All three of them come with extensive injury histories.

Josh Buckhalter covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter

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