Injured whereas trotting onto the sector in Tremendous Bowl LVIII, Dre Greenlaw is coming again. The 49ers will activate the standout linebacker from the PUP record Thursday night time, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports. It’s going to conclude a 10-month restoration from Achilles surgical procedure, as Greenlaw went down on Feb. 12.
The workforce had aimed for a midseason return, however Greenlaw noticed his timeline pushed again a bit. A return will now come for a workforce that has misplaced Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and Javon Hargrave for the season and one which has performed with out Nick Bosa and Trent Williams in current weeks. Whereas Fred Warner has been enjoying by a fractured ankle, he and Greenlaw will workforce up once more in time for an important sport.
At 6-7, the 49ers most likely can not afford one other loss if they’re to make a last-ditch push at defending the NFC West title they’ve gained for the previous two seasons. It might already be too late, with the Rams and Seahawks at 8-5, however the workforce routed the Bears in Week 14 to halt a shedding streak. A more healthy protection will take a shot at toppling a Rams workforce coming off a shootout win in opposition to the Payments.
Greenlaw, 27, will transition right into a key stretch as nicely. He joins Hufanga and Charvarius Ward as 49ers defensive starters unsigned past this season. The workforce has Warner locked down, whereas Deommodore Lenoir signed an extension just lately.
With a Brock Purdy
payday planned, the 49ers might want to make some sacrifices. Greenlaw could possibly be amongst them. In that case, the subsequent 4 video games would double as an audition for the recovering participant. A free-agency deal, probably within the realm of the one ex-teammate Azeez Al-Shaair inked in March, could also be within the playing cards if Greenlaw can keep wholesome.
Coming off back-to-back 120-tackle seasons, Greenlaw is enjoying out a two-year, $16.4M contract agreed to during the 2022 season. Regardless of being a fifth-round decide, Greenlaw has labored as a 49ers common at linebacker for many of his profession.
The workforce has used free-agency addition De’Vondre Campbell on 719 snaps this season. Campbell was added to play alongside Warner whereas Greenlaw recovered. It didn’t appear on the time that the plan was for that setup to final 13 video games, however it did. And given how lengthy Greenlaw has been out, it might shock if he was thrust right into a full workload instantly.
This transaction won’t depend in opposition to the 49ers’ remaining harm activations, as solely gamers moved from IR or the NFI lists again to the energetic roster accomplish that. Nonetheless, the 49ers will throw a extra full model of their protection at a Rams workforce that has steadily gotten more healthy for the reason that groups’ September assembly.
