Several factors contributed to Dre Greenlaw's departure from the San Francisco 49ers this offseason. Money played a significant role, as the linebacker signed a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Denver Broncos. Greenlaw's exit is seen as one of the 49ers' most impactful losses, as the team had hoped to retain him.
"We've all seen when healthy what a fabulous player he is," general manager John Lynch told Cam Inman of Bay Area News Group earlier this month. "He's a difference-maker. Really grateful to Dre for all the contributions he made to the Niners. Special player. It's hard to see guys like that leave but it's part of this business. You can't keep them all."
The 49ers made a strong push to keep Greenlaw. According to The Denver Post's Luca Evans, Lynch and head coach Kyle Shanahan flew to Greenlaw's home in Texas in a "last-ditch effort" to retain him, increasing their offer (h/t Pro Football Talk).
"San Francisco, eventually, had outbid the Broncos, who'd honed in on Greenlaw to revamp the heart of their defense," Evans wrote. "But the 49ers' brass only flew out — and their offer only increased — after the Broncos had already come after Greenlaw, sources said."
By then, Greenlaw had already made his decision.
Other factors influenced his choice. Greenlaw saw that the 49ers' offseason plan to reset the roster included allowing several players to leave in free agency and part ways with other key contributors.
Evans noted: "And as the 49ers parted ways with a slew of pieces in free agency, Greenlaw sensed an opportunity for a 'fresh start' with a stacked defense in Denver, agent J.R. Carroll told The Post."
Star linebacker Fred Warner is one player who will miss Greenlaw, but supported his decision.
"It just looked different when him and I were going after other teams from the second level, and just trying to erase space on the middle of the field," Warner told Evans. "He's, by far, one of the greatest athletes and football players I've ever played with, and it was truly an honor to play alongside him.
"I even told him, and I always say, that I would not be the player that I am today without playing alongside Dre Greenlaw."
Now with the Broncos, Greenlaw has a chance to step out of Warner's shadow and establish himself as a defensive leader. His adopted father, Brian Early, offered the linebacker this encouragement: "Hey, man, you stay in San Francisco, you're Scottie Pippen. And Fred Warner is MJ. Go be frickin' MJ."