49ers' Dre Greenlaw has caught the NFL's attention in a big way
It's always tough to make a name for yourself when you're playing next to one of the best players in the league and that's been the case for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw over the last couple of years. Despite the lack of attention, Greenlaw and All-Pro Fred Warner –who was just voted as […]
It's always tough to make a name for yourself when you're playing next to one of the best players in the league and that's been the case for San Francisco 49ers linebacker Dre Greenlaw over the last couple of years.
Despite the lack of attention, Greenlaw and All-Pro Fred Warner –who was just voted as the NFL's No. 1 off-ball linebacker- have combined to form the league's best LB duo. Both players are three-down 'backers who complement each other very well and are great fits for what the 49ers like to do on defense.
Greenlaw's yearly ascension is finally getting noticed, however. And in a big way.
Pro Football Focus ranked the 49ers' linebacker duo as the league's best a few weeks ago and now, an ESPN poll compiled via the votes of NFL executives, coaches, players, and scouts has pegged Greenlaw as the 10th-best off-ball linebacker in the NFL.
"[He] made a huge jump. Relentless, extremely physical and took a big jump in coverage," an NFC exec said. "Obviously benefits from the guys around him, but he made so many big plays this year."
The respect is huge and well-deserved, too. At the same time, it raises a big question about Greenlaw's long-term future with the 49ers.
As we all know, the 49ers aren't keen on paying top dollar to players associated with the same position group. We saw this just as recently as Mike McGlinchey's departure. The team is already paying left tackle Trent Williams boatloads of money, therefore, McGlinchey became expendable. Another example is the team's decision to let Charles Omenihu walk – John Lynch is about to hand Nick Bosa a record-setting contract. And of course, the same happened with DeForest Buckner back in 2020 (it's not a simple convenience Lynch drafted Javon Kinlaw with the pick he acquired in the Buckner trade). Javon Hargrave's addition is more the exception than the rule and the 49ers also killed two birds with one stone (pun intended) by snatching him from the Philadelphia Eagles.
Right now, Greenlaw is under contract through 2024, so his immediate future is intact.
But 2024 is also where things get tricky and it all starts with his running mate in Warner:
As it currently stands, Warner’s 2025 and 2026 seasons are technically void years. Contractually speaking, he’s scheduled to enter free agency after the 2024 season, in which case any bonus money that hasn’t yet hit the 49ers’ cap will accelerate and count as dead money.
But the 49ers will have full power to ensure that doesn’t happen, if that will be their desire. They have the contractual ability to “buy back” and un-void Warner’s 2025 and 2026 seasons — featuring base salaries of $17.7 million — by paying that $3.6 million buyback bonus in 2024…
… If all goes well, he’ll be in the thick of his prime… the 49ers will also presumably have much greater cap clarity in 2024 than they do now…
Therefore, 2024 promises to be an opportune time to consider an extension or restructuring of Warner’s contract. There should be plentiful options that extend beyond a simple approval or rejection of the buyback option, and the 49ers will be in position to press the button of their choice depending on how Warner performs and how the financial situation evolves over the next three seasons. – Dave Lombardi, The Athletic
As mentioned above, Warner is considered to be the NFL's best off-ball linebacker and he's entering his prime. In other words: The chances of the 49ers parting ways with him, at any point in the near future, are essentially zero.
Combine that with the ascension of Greenlaw, which should only continue over the next couple of years, and it's easy to see why the 49ers could have trouble paying both guys the money they want and deserve.
And when combing that with the philosophy of opposing "doubling up", it makes it even easier to see how the band could be breaking up in a couple of years. The best outcome, obviously, is for the team to win a championship and for Greenlaw to continue to improve as he gets closer to his next big contract.
That would be the happy ending everyone would love to see. But, this is the NFL, and only time will tell if that happens.
ESPN poll has 49ers’ Fred Warner on top of the NFL world
And it’s exactly where the 49ers’ star should be.
Featured image via Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
