The San Francisco 49ers were faced with a difficult decision this offseason, letting emerging linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair leave in free agency in a move that was well-anticipated, but still unfortunate.
Why? Because the 49ers extended linebacker Dre Greenlaw to a two-year deal at the beginning of the 2022 NFL season, en route to his best professional career yet, and a near Pro-Bowl-level season.
Greenlaw has emerged as an important complement to star linebacker Fred Warner, who, together, have built the backbone of the 49ers' creativity on defense with their athleticism, allowing defensive coordinators to put them in tough situations.
Following his 2022 campaign, is Dre Greenlaw a top-five linebacker in the NFL alongside Fred Warner?
As a part of their annual positional rankings, PFF listed the Top 32 linebackers in the NFL for the 2023 season, with a familiar face at the top of the list once again.
1. Fred Warner
— PFF (@PFF) July 9, 2023
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32. Leighton Vander Esch@TampaBayTre's Top-32 LB rankingshttps://t.co/ft5EAiFbMZ
Warner took over the top spot, followed by Tampa Bay's Lavonte David and New Orleans's Demario Davis, who rounded out the top three.
"These three off-ball linebackers represent the best of the best. First and foremost, they bring great awareness and playmaking ability in coverage. They are what teams seek out of the modern-day linebacker at the second level for how they can anticipate and react to plays against the run and pass. These three also have longevity on their side with multiple years of high-end play," PFF's Trevor Sikkema wrote.
"The 2022 campaign marked the third season in which Warner recorded an 80.0-plus overall grade, solidifying his case as the top player at his position."
His counterpart, Dre Greenlaw, wasn't far behind, coming in at No. 8, behind the likes of Matt Milano, Roquan Smith, Shaquille Leonard, and Bobby Wagner, while coming right ahead of Buffalo's Tremaine Edmunds.
Here was the justification for the ordering between Nos. 4-8.
"Milano got the recognition he deserves as one of the most reliable linebackers in the league with grades in the 80s in both pass rush and coverage."
"Smith and Leonard have the two biggest contracts in the NFL for the off-ball position. Smith elevated the entire Ravens' defense once he arrived in Baltimore this past season via trade, and though Leonard missed a lot of 2022 due to injury, he remains a playmaker."
"Wagner was PFF's highest-graded linebacker in 2022, posting a 90.7 overall grade. Though he isn't as athletic as he used to be, his anticipation and football IQ continue to put him in the right spots to make an impact."
"Greenlaw and Edmunds are two of the more athletically gifted linebackers in the league. They could always get sideline to sideline, but their athletic ability didn't translate to good coverage play before 2022, a season in which both took massive leaps in that category. Greenlaw went from a 62.9 coverage grade in 2021 to an 82.7 coverage grade in 2022. Edmunds went from a 34.6 coverage grade in 2021 to a 90.7 coverage grade in 2022 with just 7.8 yards per reception allowed and 10 passes defended."
After his terrific 2022 season, Greenlaw now enters the first year of his newly-minted extension, with the hopes of continuing his upward trajectory as his prime approaches.
Should he take another step forward next season, Warner and Greenlaw could be the lone pair of teammates to be ranked in the top five.