The San Francisco 49ers are aiming to get a key piece of their defense back with their season on the brink of collapse.
Head coach Kyle Shanahan on Monday in a conference call told reporters the team is going to open the 21-day practice window for linebacker Dre Greenlaw ahead of their Week 13 matchup with the Buffalo Bills.
Greenlaw tore his Achilles in the Super Bowl in February and has been on the PUP list since training camp began.
By opening the 21-day practice window the 49ers will have three weeks to determine whether to activate Greenlaw or keep him on IR for the rest of the season.
Before the injury Greenlaw was one of the fastest rising stars at linebacker in the NFL. Across the 2022 and 2023 seasons he posted 247 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 10 pass breakups and an interception. He formed perhaps the NFL’s best linebacker duo alongside Fred Warner.
The 49ers have sorely missed Greenlaw in the second level of their defense. While De’Vondre Campbell has been better lately, his lack of athleticism and coverage ability has allowed teams to succeed in the middle of the field in ways they couldn’t when Greenlaw and Warner were roaming there.
It’s unclear whether Greenlaw will be able to ramp up in time to have an impact, but it’s great news for him that he’s able to practice at this point of the year with a chance to return before hitting free agency in the offseason. The 49ers may plan on bringing him back no matter what, but they may also shut him down and not risk another injury if they’re officially eliminated from playoff contention.
If Greenlaw does return to play at a high level though, it would give the 49ers defense a massive lift at one of its weakest positions.
