Who will play along side of Fred Warner at linebacker is a question the 49ers must answer as they look ahead to the 2025 NFL season.Linebackers who can play both off the ball and or stacked behind the defensive line are difficult to find as the free agent market showed when Dre Greenlaw signed a three-year $31 million contract with the Denver Broncos.Several teams reportedly were interested in Greenlaw, even after an incredibly challenging attempt to comeback from an Achilles injury last season, barely appearing in two games before being shut down. There were whispers that the 49ers made a late push to re-sign their 2019 fifth-round draft pick but it ended up being too little, too late.The 49ers failure to bring back one of their most impactful players could haunt them well after the 2025 season.Currently on the roster, Dee Winters and Tatum Bethune both are options to become full-time starters, with the former gaining experience with appearances in 15 games in 2024 — 10 as a starter. Winters recorded 44 tackles —26 solo and four pass breakups in his sophomore season.Bethune was active for 11 games appearing predominantly on special teams for 165 plays (56-percent) but only 51...
Why Greenlaw’s departure could be 49ers’ biggest offseason loss
Mar 29, 2025 at 11:40 AM
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