The San Francisco 49ers have had a stellar offseason so far, filling multiple holes and improving some positions. One of my favorite moves was bringing back LB Dre Greenlaw on a one-year, $6 million deal. The former Arkansas Razorback left via free agency a year ago to become LB1 for the Denver Broncos, after five seasons playing second-fiddle to All-Pro Fred Warner.
But Greenlaw discovered that the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. He was likely reminded that if you're willing to take a backseat from time to time, you'll discover that the sweet sound of second fiddle can be beautiful. So, Greenlaw decided to return to the Bay Area to team up with Warner and the San Francisco defense.
This is not just good news for Greenlaw and Warner, though. The 49ers' defense has not been the same since Greenlaw went down in the second quarter of Super Bowl LVIII, tearing his Achilles while running back on the field. It didn't take Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes and company long to notice. And they took advantage.
Greenlaw wasn't the best player on the 49ers' defense during his time. But he was the heart of the defense. He brought the attitude and ferociousness San Francisco has missed since his injury. Getting Greenlaw back likely forecasts better run defense and more physicality—something the 49ers defense has been known for since 2019.
NFL reporter Eric Williams published an article for Fox Sports on Friday, in which he named the NFL's "10 Best Under-the-Radar Deals So Far This Offseason." These aren't the splashy, mega-dollar deals that everyone talks about. Instead, he focused on the top-10 deals people aren't discussing as much.
And at number two, he has the 49ers reunion with Greenlaw.
"San Francisco never wanted to let him get away to begin with, but after one year with the Denver Broncos, the tone-setting linebacker returns to the 49ers on a reasonable one-year deal," Williams wrote. "Paired with perennial All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner, Greenlaw and the BYU product formed one of the best linebacker combos in the league.
"With his return, along with Warner's recovery from a season-ending leg fracture, the two should help repair a San Francisco defense that surprisingly struggled to stop the run last season. Greenlaw's return also should help with the transition from Robert Saleh to Raheem Morris at defensive coordinator, as the 49ers gear up to take full advantage of a closing Super Bowl window."
While I agree that bringing back Greenlaw is an underrated move, and one that should help the 49ers' defense rebound from a couple of disappointing seasons, I do not agree that the 49ers' Super Bowl window is closing. Things move quickly in the NFL, and we've seen last-place teams win divisions. So, it's hard to make a claim that a team's championship window is closing.
If Greenlaw can stay relatively healthy, the 49ers' defense can be noticeably better than it was in 2024 and 2025. But they will need other players to step up, as well, especially some of the young players they've brought in the past couple of offseasons.
Bringing back Greenlaw is a sneaky good move for the 49ers. And it could pay dividends.
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