The Denver Broncos boast the No. 1 scoring defense and the No. 8 unit in terms of yards allowed entering Week 16. A player like Dre Greenlaw could add even more to the group.
Denver’s strong play is a massive turnaround from their showing in 2023 sparked by an offseason featuring sweeping changes on the defensive side of the ball. But there is more work to be done this coming offseason, specifically at inside linebacker.
Alex Singleton and Levelle Bailey are the Broncos’ only inside backers under contract for 2025.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine believes the Broncos should target the San Francisco 49ers star and pending free agent, Greenlaw.
“The Broncos have to be considered the breakout unit of the 2024 season,” Ballentine wrote on December 16. “They were ranked toward the bottom last season in both points and yards allowed. This year, they are in the top 10 by both metrics. A lot of that is due to a group of pass-rushers that took a step forward and a strong secondary. The middle of the defense could still use more juice.”
“Dre Greenlaw has missed most of this season, but made his return to the Niners lineup on Thursday Night Football. He should be even better next season with more time to recover from the torn Achilles he suffered last postseason.”
Greenlaw ranks 18th in combined tackles over the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
That is notable considering he also plays alongside a star in Fred Warner. Greenlaw has also started 55 of his 63 career games. Greenlaw missed all but three regular season games in 2021 with a groin injury. But he returned for the postseason.
Dre Greenlaw Has 1 Wish for Christmas
GettyDre Greenlaw #57 of the San Francisco 49ers warms up before a game against the Los Angeles Rams.
Greenlaw, a fifth-round pick (No. 148 overall) in the 2019 draft, has spent his entire career with the 49ers. He told reporters on December 18 that he is not worried about his pending free agency, instead focusing on “whipping Miami’s a**” in Week 16.
However, Greenlaw did joke about the most desired gift on his Christmas wishlist: “some money.”
49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan suggested the organization will fight to keep Greenlaw.
Greenlaw is in the final year of a two-year, $16.4 million contract. According to Over The Cap, he has earned over $12 million in his career.
The 49ers are 6-8 and their chances of making the postseason are less than 1% entering Week 16, per NFL.com’s playoff picture. They have some looming salary cap concerns, but front offices routinely create room when needed.
OTC projects the Broncos to have $57.6 million in 2025, which should be enough to fit Greenlaw.
Broncos Could Need LB Like Dre Greenlaw
GettyAlex Singleton #49 and Cody Barton #55 of the Denver Broncos celebrate after a safety against the Seattle Seahawks.
The Broncos also boast a pair of top-20 tacklers over the past two seasons in Singleton and Cody Barton. Singleton tore his ACL in Week 3 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and is out for the year.
He still has one more year on his three-year, $18 million deal, and the Broncos would incur a bigger dead cap hit than they would benefit from the savings.
He should be back for one spot, though he will be 32 years old and coming off a serious injury.
Barton spent the 2022 season with the Seattle Seahawks and, in 2023, was with the Washington Commanders. He signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Broncos in free agency during the 2024 offseason and is due for a decent raise.
Meanwhile, the Broncos like Bailey. But he has logged just five defensive snaps all season, per Pro Football Reference. Greenlaw could be a sound fix for a looming issue.
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