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Reports: LB Dre Greenlaw returning to 49ers on 1-year deal

By Thomson Reuters Mar 12, 2026 | 4:40 PM

Linebacker Dre Greenlaw has agreed to a one-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers, where he played his first six years before ​leaving last season for the Denver Broncos, ‌according to multiple reports on Thursday.

Greenlaw, a fifth-round draft pick by the 49ers in 2019 out of Arkansas, will play for a deal worth $7.5 million, NFL Network reported.

The Broncos ‌released ​Greenlaw, 28, this week after ⁠signing him to a ⁠three-year, $31.5 million contract last offseason. He finished with 43 tackles, one sack, one interception and one forced fumble in eight games (seven starts). He also ​had 10 tackles in two playoff games (no starts).

He had missed Denver’s offseason program and the first ⁠six games of the 2025 ⁠slate because of thigh injuries. The ​league also suspended him for one game because of ​a confrontation with referee Brad Allen after the ‌Broncos converted a game-winning field goal to defeat the New York Giants 33-32 in Greenlaw’s first game with the team. The league said Greenlaw chased ⁠after Allen “and verbally threatened him as he tried to leave the field.”

Greenlaw tore his Achilles tendon while playing for ⁠the 49ers in ‌the 2023 season’s Super Bowl, a ⁠25-22 overtime loss to the Kansas ​City ‌Chiefs. He played in only two games ​for San ⁠Francisco the following season.

He has 498 tackles, 4.5 sacks, four interceptions, 20 tackles for loss, 11 quarterback hits, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in 72 regular-season games (63 starts) for the 49ers (2019-24) and ​Broncos.

–Field Level Media