The 2024 season was a massive disappointment for the San Francisco 49ers. After going 6-11 in the regular season, there were a lot of changes this offseason. Multiple players ultimately left town in free agency but some of those guys will ultimately regret their decision.
LB Dre Greenlaw is someone who signed a three-year, $31.5 million deal with the Denver Broncos. After spending the first six years of his career with the 49ers, he wanted a change of scenery. Denver did in fact have one of the best defenses in 2024, ranking seventh in total defense (317.1).
Greenlaw hopes to add to that unit but he will end up regretting leaving the Bay Area. Even after he agreed to terms with Denver, the 49ers tried to persuade him to come back but he decided to stay put.
Robert Saleh is back as defensive coordinator and badly wanted Greenlaw back. From 2019-2020 with Saleh calling the shots, he compiled 178 total tackles, 10 TFLs, and three pass deflections.
Greenlaw and Fred Warner formed one of the best linebacker duos in the league. That helped the 49ers defense go to new heights but Greenlaw has Warner to thank for some of his growth with the 49ers.
Warner is known as one of the best linebackers in the league. He has sideline-to-sideline speed with play recognition skills to quickly sniff out what's happening. That allowed Greenlaw to play more freely, which led to more production.
The 27-year-old had four seasons with 80-plus tackles and two seasons with at least 100 tackles in two seasons with the 49ers. Trying to replicate that production with the Broncos is a tall task, especially since he'll be playing in a different scheme without Warner by his side.
The 49ers clearly wanted to re-sign him, which is why they made a late push. They failed to get him back to the building but as time goes on, he'll be the one who regrets the decision to leave San Fran.