"At a position where it's hard for players to be consistently elite, he has been just that," the analytics site noted. "The 28-year-old has been one of the four highest-graded linebackers in football in each of the last five seasons and has now placed second three years in a row, this time earning an 89.2 PFF grade."
Only Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Zack Baun earned a higher defensive grade (90.1) when factoring in postseason play. During the regular season, Warner's 89.2 grade ranked third behind Baun and Washington Commanders linebacker Bobby Wagner (89.9).
"While he's the third-ranked linebacker on this list, it's hard not to view Warner as the gold standard for the position," Pro Football Focus added.
Warner battled through much of the 2024 season with an ankle fracture suffered in Week 4 but still played all 17 games. He finished with 131 tackles (five for a loss), two interceptions—including one returned for a touchdown—one sack, seven passes defensed, and four forced fumbles.
Regarding the injury, Warner recently said, "It's just one of those nagging things, because injuries, it's like, they're either bad enough to keep you off the field or just good enough so you can keep playing. So it was one of those things where I was good enough to just keep playing and try to work through it."
Nobody's perfect. Did you find a mistake in this article? Report it.
Comments
Do not use the comments to notify us of errors in the article. Editors may not see it. Instead, report errors here.
More San Francisco 49ers News
49ers' Fred Warner shares farewell to Dre Greenlaw: "Ain't no 5-4 without 5-7"
By David Bonilla
Mar 14
San Francisco 49ers linebacker Fred Warner is disappointed to see his teammate and close friend, Dre Greenlaw, leave in free agency. The two have been together for six seasons, with Greenlaw joining the 49ers as a fifth-round pick in 2019, a year after Warner was drafted in the...
PFF: 49ers must double up on this position group in the draft
By David Bonilla
Mar 17
The San Francisco 49ers appear to have taken a step back this offseason, watching several key contributors depart for other teams in free agency. While fans were disheartened to see favorites like linebacker Dre Greenlaw leave, no unit was hit harder than the defensive...
PFF power rankings: 49ers will navigate NFC West at a disadvantage
By David Bonilla
Mar 17
The San Francisco 49ers have struggled to make a splash this offseason, watching from the sidelines as other teams strengthened their rosters in free agency. The Bay Area team is undergoing a significant roster overhaul, shedding future financial commitments ahead of...
PFF names unexpected position as 49ers' biggest post-free agency need
By David Bonilla
Mar 17
What is the San Francisco 49ers' most significant need with the first wave of free agency behind them? Some might point to the defensive line, which was hit hard after the team parted ways with Javon Hargrave, Leonard Floyd, and Maliek Collins. The defensive front now stands as...
