Dre Greenlaw is widely considered one of the San Francisco 49ers' most significant free-agent losses this offseason, which is notable considering the linebacker appeared in just two games last season and didn't finish either. In fact, he has missed significant time in two of the last four seasons and hasn't played a full season since his rookie year in 2019.
By comparison, linebacker Fred Warner—the heart of the 49ers' defense—has missed just one game over his seven-year career and even played through an ankle injury for most of last season.
What makes Greenlaw such a significant loss is his impact when healthy. There's no denying the linebacker's presence on the field. In his first game back from an Achilles injury, Greenlaw tallied eight tackles against the Los Angeles Rams in limited playing time. It was enough to convince the Denver Broncos to take a chance and sign him to a three-year, $31.5 million deal.
The 49ers even tried to persuade Greenlaw to back out of the deal and re-sign with them. However, the linebacker ultimately honored his commitment to the Broncos, leaving the 49ers with another significant need to fill this offseason.
The 49ers are facing salary cap constraints, needing to reduce cash spending to prepare for the future—especially with quarterback Brock Purdy set to earn a massive contract extension. Unable to fill the Greenlaw-sized void on defense in free agency, the team may look to the draft for a replacement.
The 49ers have already met with several linebacker prospects, most recently speaking with Jeffrey Bassa of Oregon. However, if one of the team's 11 draft picks isn't used on a linebacker, general manager John Lynch suggested on Wednesday that there may already be a solution on the roster—Dee Winters, the team's sixth-round draft pick out of TCU in 2023.
"He'll have an opportunity," Lynch said of Winters at Stanford's Pro Day. "I think a lot of guys … there's still a lot of time between now and when we play, but he's a guy we like. And he's still growing as a player. (Defensive coordinator Robert) Saleh's here. And it's been fun to have a new lens on things. He's very excited with Dee and a lot of players."
Last offseason, Warner singled out Winters as a standout young player on the roster.
"I think Dee's probably had the best OTAs out of anybody on the team," Warner shared. "I feel like he's come along since last year. I remember he came in as a rookie, was struggling to learn the plays, and trying to get in shape, and all those little things that you got to learn as a professional.
"And [he] has come in this year and has just been on it, making plays left and right. He came in great shape this OTAs, and so he's set himself up to have a great training camp. He's going to train hard this summer and have a chance."
Winters ended up playing 41% of the defensive snaps last season, according to Pro Football Reference. He finished the year with 44 tackles and four passes defensed. His Pro Football Focus defensive grade improved from 29.4 in 2023 to 66.4 in 2024, including an impressive 80.0 coverage grade. In 180 coverage snaps, opposing quarterbacks posted an 88.4 passer rating when targeting Winters.
The 49ers will likely draft a linebacker, but Lynch believes Winters will have a real shot at stepping into Greenlaw's role. His steady improvement last season shows he may be ready for a bigger role.