The San Francisco 49ers know that not having Dre Greenlaw on the roster is a tough blow for the defense, but according to a report, they fought until the end to try to keep the player and prevent him from joining the Denver Broncos.
According to Adam Schefter’s report, the 49ers had been pushing Greenlaw to avoid signing with the Broncos, saying, “The 49ers tried to flip Dre Greenlaw back to San Francisco, and I think they were pretty persuasive, but not persuasive enough. I think Dre Greenlaw stood his ground and kind of stayed with Denver. … In San Francisco, they’re struggling to pay everybody, so that’s part of it.”
It seems the 49ers made a last-minute effort to keep Greenlaw, hoping the agreement with the Broncos would fall through. However, they were unsuccessful, as reported by Schefter, who stated: “…Even after Denver had an agreement done with him; they were pushing to get that done, and they were pushing to flip his decision in this world that we live in where people commit and there are agreements.”
Greenlaw’s last NFL contract with the 49ers was a two-year deal worth $16.4 million, with a base salary of $8 million and a $4 million signing bonus. Less than half of it was guaranteed, making it difficult for the franchise to compete with the Broncos’ offer.
Dre Greenlaw #57 of the San Francisco 49ers exchanges words with Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni and Dom DiSandro at Lincoln Financial Field on December 03, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Broncos Offered More Lucrative Terms
Greenlaw made his decision, and there’s no turning back. He now has a three-year, $31 million contract, along with a significant tax advantage. In Denver, taxes are much lower than in San Francisco, and, importantly, there’s no city income tax, which he was subject to while with the 49ers.
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49ers Focus on Defensive Improvements
With Greenlaw’s departure, the 49ers are now prioritizing bolstering their defensive line, secondary, and any remaining gaps in preparation for the 2025 season. They’ve recently signed a secondary player who was previously a teammate of Tua Tagovailoa and Josh Allen.
