Dre Greenlaw‘s outlook for 2024 took a massive hit when he suffered an Achilles tear during Super Bowl LVIII. The 49ers linebacker managed to work his way back this year, but his season has already come to an end. 
Greenlaw will be shut down for the remainder of the campaign, as noted by Cam Inman of the San Jose Mercury News. He was activated earlier this month, paving the way for a late-season run of action at a time when the 49ers still had a chance at the postseason. Greenlaw exited his first game back in the lineup after logging 30 snaps, however, and he managed only four defensive plays on Sunday.
San Francisco is officially out of the hunt for the playoffs, so finishing out the final two weeks of the season on the mend is sensible in Greenlaw’s case. His absence will, of course, leave the team thin at linebacker given De’Vondre Campbell‘s team-induced suspension for refusing to enter the game in Week 15. Greenlaw’s return resulted him reprising his first-team role, something which relegated Campbell to backup duties. Now, neither will see the field the rest of the way.
Greenlaw has spent his entire six-year career with the 49ers, and when healthy he has been a mainstay on defense. The 27-year-old was limited to only three games in 2021, but in each of his other campaigns prior to this one he amassed at least 86 tackles (topping out at 127 in 2022). Greenlaw landed a two-year, $16.4MM extension after that season, but he is now on track for free agency.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan recently confirmed the 49ers hope to re-sign Greenlaw, with the same also being true of safety Talanoa Hufanga. Both defenders have dealt with major injuries leading to signficant missed time in 2024, though, a factor which could hurt their respective markets. As San Francisco prepares for a Brock Purdy extension, it remains to be seen how much of a commitment the team will be able to make to retain Greenlaw, Hufanga or the other names on its list of pending free agents.
Sitting at 6-9 on the year and managing several notable injuries at other positions, very little has gone right for the 49ers this year and attention will increasingly shift to 2025. With Greenlaw out of the picture for the final two games of the campaign, his health status and his future with San Francisco will become a notable storyline.
Speedy recovery
But the “nobody quits” saga just keeps getting more hilarious with each passing day.
They treat Campbell like a scapegoat for an entire defense under performing
Demote him to 3rd string
Greenlaw gets hurt Winters gets hurt they expect Campbell to go back in risk injury and he tells them F off
Ward, who should have been demoted himself for crappy play, rants about nobody quits
49ers publicly support Trent Williams quitting on the team and not returning this year. Completely give up trying to return with 2 games left
Greenlaw is now done for the reason leaving them thin at lb
Whole situation could’ve been avoided had 49ers treated Campbell better. But instead it’s comes a 3 ring circus. Shanahans lost the locker room.
Give it a rest, silly hill to keep dying on.
Shanahan is one all might Detroit smash away from getting canned. Dude made his own bed. I’m just enjoying the dumpster fire that is the 49ers
Well duh, you don’t come back from a torn Achilles in 10 months. He played a great half